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i><C<< 




A 



M E M I U 



OP 



DANIEL WHEELER, 



WITH AN ACCOUNT 



OF HIS 



GOSPEL LABOURS 



IN THE 



ISLANDS OF THE PACIFIC 



■ < ■•#»>■ 



PHILADELPHIA: 

PUBLISHED BY THE 

ASSOCIATION OE FRIENDS FOR THE DIFFUSION OF RELIGIOUS 
AND USEFUL KNOWLEDGE, 

109 North Tenth Street 
1859. 














ei-z^7T-/ 



PREFACE 



The volume now offered is an abridgment of the 
memoirs of the life and gospel labours of Daniel 
Wheeler, edited by his son, and published in Lon- 
don in 1842. In the preface to that edition, it is 
stated that it was a matter which D. Wheeler had 
much at heart, to leave on record some narrative 
of his life, no doubt believing that in it might be 
traced many instances of Divine mercy and inter- 
position which could not but be instructive and 
strengthening to others. He commenced but did 
not complete the work; but, from the period at 
which his autobiography abruptly terminates, no- 
thing has been allowed a place which could not be 
stated with entire confidence. 



(ill) 






CONTENTS. 



MEMOIRS OF DANIEL WHEELER. 

CHAPTER I. 

Page 
Introductory Remarks by D. Wheeler — Enters the Merchant Seryice 

— Then the Royal Navy — Is paid off — Enters the Army 7 

CHAPTER IL 
D.Wheeler goes to Ireland with his Regiment — Harassing Seryice 

— Returns to England — Embarks for Campaign on the Continent 

— Great Exposure and Suffering 17 

CHAPTER III. 
Preserved from Danger in the Field of Battle — Attacked by Fever — 
Hospital Treatment — Remarkable Recovery— Retreat of the Army 

— Return to England 29 

CHAPTER IV. 

Sails with his Regiment to the West Indies — Wonderful Preserva- 
tion — Serious Impressions — Returns to England — Convinced of 
Friends' Principles — Becomes a Member of the Society — Settles 
in Business — His Marriage — Acknowledged as a Minister 47 

CHAPTER V. 
Prospect of Duty in Russia — Goes to Petersburg — Interview with 
Prince Galitzin and the Emperor — Engages with the Russian 
Government to superintend Agricultural Improvements — Returns 
Home and again embarks for Russia with his Family — William 
Allen and Stephen Grellet 57 

CHAPTER VL 

Agricultural Improvements — Address to Balby Monthly Meeting — 
Conference with the Emperor — Great Flood at Petersburg — Death 
of the Emperor and Accession of his brother Nicholas 66 

CHAPTER VIL 

Yisits England — Religious Service — Returns to Russia — Cholera 
at Petersburg — Address to York Quarterly Meeting — Resigns his 

* Appointment in Russia — Sails for England 81 

1* (v) 



VI CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER VIII. 
Prospect of a Religious Visit to the South Sea Islands'— Death of 
his Wife and severe Illness of his Children — Death of his son 
■VTilliam and daughter Jane — Prospect of Religious Service in 
North America 93 

CHAPTER IX. 

Sails for New York — Attends many Meetings of Friends — Returns 
to England— Death of his son Charles — Again embarks for Ame- 
rica — Illness and death at New York 105 



VISIT TO THE PACIFIC ISLES. 

CHAPTER I. 

Sails in the ' Henry Ereeling ' — Detention off the Isle of "Wight — 
Farewell Letter — Arrival at Rio de Janeiro 113 

CHAPTER II. 

Sails for Van Diemen's Land— Perils of the Voyage — Arrival at Ho- 
bart Town — Meets with James Backhouse and George W. Walker.. 128 

CHAPTER in. 
Embarks for Sidney — Crew of the ' Henry Freeling' — Sails for Tahiti 

— Arrival and Interview with the Natives — Meeting with the 
Missionaries , 147 

CHAPTER IV. 

Meeting for Sailors — Attends the Native Meetings for Worship — 
Perilous Passage to Tiarei — Native Meeting 164 

CHAPTER V. 
Taiarapu — Favoured Meeting for Worship — Letter from the Native 
Congregation — Native Entertainment — Letter from the Queen — 
Desolating Scourge of Ardent Spirits — Island of Eimeo 184 

CHAPTER VI. 
Huahine — Invitation from Mauiui — Meeting with the Authorities 

— Raiatea — Bolabola — Sandwich Islands — Oahu — Native Meet- 
ing—The Queen's Present — Memorable Electing for Worship — 
Missionary School 199 

CHAPTER VIL 

Hawaii — Introductory Letter — Embarkation of Missionaries — A 
Marriage — General Meeting of the Missionaries — Letter from 
the Annual Meeting — Hervey Isles — Roratogna — Native Meet- 
ings — Letter from a young Native 217 

CHAPTER VIII. 
Friendly Isles — Cavern at Otea — Meeting with the Missionaries — 
Interesting Letter — New Zealand — Meeting for Worship — Fare 
■weU Letter from the Missionaries — Sidney — Hobart Town — 
Returns to England 241 



MEMOIKS 



OF THE 



LIFE OF DANIEL WHEELER, 



CHAPTEH I. 

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS BY D. WHEELER ENTERS THE 

MERCHANT SERVICE THEN THE ROYAL NAVY IS PAID 

OFF ENTERS THE ARMY. 

'' IIavinGt frequently derived mucli valuable in- 
struction from tlie perusal of narratives of those 
who liave long since exchanged an earthly for a 
heavenly inheritance^ the thought has at times oc- 
curred to me^ that a short memoir of my own life, 
however evil^ mighty under the Divine blessing, be 
made, in like manner, useful to others. But, per- 
haps from the humiliating conviction that days, as 
without number, have been miserably devoted to 
madness and folly, in forgetfulness of a long-suffering 
Lord Grod, the guilty mind would gladly hide the 
remembrance of these for ever in oblivion, and pass 
over them in silent abhorrence; or, conscious that 
there yet remains a stubborn and unsubdued residue 
of human corruptions, a sense of unworthiness and 
unfitness may have hitherto operated to retard the 

(7) 



8 MEMOIRS OF 

undertaking ; lest the creature should in any degree 
be exalted^ to whom shame only, with blushing and 
confusion of face, must ever belong. 

Whatever may thus far have impeded any attempt 
of the kind, I am induced, not as a matter of choice, 
but as a duty, now in the sixty-first year of my age, 
to commence the work, humbly imploring the assist- 
ance of Him who ^ knoweth the thoughts and intents 
of the heart,^ to enable me, as far as it may be car- 
ried forward, to accomplish it to His own praise and 
glory, as a faithful testimony for the advancement 
of our holy Kedeemer's kingdom in the hearts of my 
fellow-creatures. 

I was born in London, the 27th day of the Ele- 
venth month, 1771 : my parents, William and Sarah 
Wheeler, were members of the established religion 
of the country, and strict adherents to all its rites 
and ceremonies. They had a large family of children, 
whose minds they endeavoured to imbue at an early 
age with the fear of their great Creator — taking 
them regularly to attend the performance of public 
worship, and also reading the Holy Scriptures in the 
family at home ] portions of which I well remember 
reading aloud when very young. I have but a very 
indistinct recollection of my father^s person, not 
being quite seven years old when he died, leaving 
five children, of whom I was the youngest. My 
mother was endowed with a large capacity, com- 
bining great sweetness with firmness of mind. Of 
the loss of such a parent, I was very sensible, being 
about twelve years old at the time.^^ 



D A N I E L W H E E L E R . 9 

Through the misconduct of his eldest brother, to 
whom the care of their father's business had been 
intrusted, it became necessary that the family should 
be broken up, and they were soon widely separated. 
For a short time, Daniel remained to assist the per- 
son who had purchased the stock, and succeeded his 
brother in the business, which was the wine trade. 
Of this occupation he says : ^^ I should not feel easy 
without noticing, in this place, for the benefit of 
others, the manifold temptations to which young 
people are necessarily exposed, when brought up to 
trades similar to that in which I was then employed. 
From the nature of these trades, there is scarcely a 
probability of escape from insensibly falling into 
habits (much more readily acquired than shaken off) 
of tasting different kinds of wine and strong liquors, 
which too often lead the way to intemperance. The 
injurious effects of these practices, and of such 
exposure, having been felt and witnessed by myself, 
make me the more desirous to warn others against 
the business.^^ 

A merchant in London having procured for him 
a situation on board a vessel engaged in the Portu- 
guese trade, it was accepted by D. Wheeler. Two 
voyages were made in this ship, and a knowledge of 
navigation acquired. On his return from the second 
voyage, he found that an intimate friend of his de- 
parted mother had procured for him the station of 
midshipman in a ship of war. This change, how- 
ever specious in appearance at the time, was but an 
introduction to a school which is not often equalled, 



10 MEMOIRS OF 

and but seldom surpassed, for vice and immorality. 
In reference to this and to the time afterwards spent 
in the army, Daniel Wheeler writes these affecting 
and instructive lines : " Reader, if the power to 
choose were mine, to draw an impenetrable shade 
over the next several years would best suit my natu- 
ral inclination ] it would save me many pangs, and I 
should at once bring thee to the time when I could 
tell thee with delight ^what the Lord hath done for 
my soul/ — But, with these years omitted, the long 
suffering and unutterable goodness of my gracious 
God and Saviour would be eclipsed. His tender 
mercies would be ungratefully robbed of their lustre, 
the riches of His grace obscured and its glory hid- 
den. I must, therefore, like the regular and pro- 
gressive gradations of nature, proceed from those 
days of childhood and youth at which I had arrived 
— would that I could say, of innocency ! — but ah ! 
at this distance of time, I can painfully trace the 
springings up of the evil root, which failed not at 
an early age to bring forth fruit of those things 
^whereof I am now ashamed;' having sorrowfully 
found, from woful experience, that their ' end is 
death.' Canst thou, then, wonder at the shrinking 
of human nature from the task of thus reopening a 
dark picture of guilt? — such as, I pray, it may 
never be thy lot to know, or to have to render an 
account of, as thy own. Though now in full abhor- 
rence of the same, through the mercy of God in 
Christ Jesus, I have a hope that my sins, though 
many, will be forgiven, and for ever blotted out as 



DANIEL WHEELER. 11 

^ a thick cloud / and that my tribulated soul will yet 
be cleansed by the ^precious blood of sprinkling 
that speaketh better things than that of Abel/ 
This only ^ cried from the ground^ for vengeance 
against the offender ; whilst the blood of Him who 
cried^ ' Father, forgive them, for they know not 
what they do/ cleanseth from all sin, and was shed 
for many, for the remission of sins ; yea, for all that 
repent, believe, and obey the Gospel, in the secret 
of their hearts revealed, which is Hhe power of 
God unto salvation/ But although ready to shudder 
at the prospect before me, I feel strengthened to pro- 
ceed, so far as I may rightly do, from a belief that 
the work in which I am now engaged is prompted in 
mercy, and will not be in vain, peradventure to 
myself, if not to another. For, if permitted to finish 
it, I shall have had another opportunity afforded, 
even at this late hour, for repentance — a truly great 
and blessed privilege to every sinner. And how 
much more shall I owe unto my Lord, if, in the 
course of a diligent search, it should please the 
^ faithful witness ' in condescension to discover to the 
view of my mind sins which, through the subtle 
workings of the grand adversary, have been partly 
hidden and imperfectly repented of.^^ 

Having joined the ship at Plymouth, it was not 
long before they left the harbour and sailed for the 
Isle of Man station. " This was a stormy and dan- 
gerous passage, in which, through Divine mercy, we 
were favoured to witness a marvellous preservation 
from shipwreck; the dawn of day just discovering 



12 MEMOIRS or 

to us in time the small island of Grasliolm, towards 
wliich. tlie yessel was drifting in a direct course^ and 
already witliin a short distance of tlie breakers. We 
were lying to^ at the time^ under two or three storm- 
sails ; but there happily being room to wear clear of 
the rocky crags^ the danger was soon left behind/^ 

After a cruise of fourteen months^ they returned 
to Plymouth; and^ whilst in this harbour^ through 
the interest of an admiral of considerable estate and 
influence in the neighbourhood, with whom in for- 
mer days some of the family had been personally 
acquainted, Daniel Yv'^heeler relates : ^^ I was in a 
short time received on board a ship-of-the-line, then 
bearing the flag of a Rear-Admiral. This advance, 
under such patronage, was considered to hold out a 
promising aspect ; but whilst it seemed to pave the 
way to promotion, it opened at once a door to an 
extensive range of acquaintance with officers on 
board, whose circumstances in life enabled them to 
deviate with, less difficulty than myself from the path 
of virtue; whose example I endeavoured to follow, 
until nothing but the want of means prevented my 
going still greater lengths than the worst of them. 
Whilst in this ship, when about sixteen years of 
age, having been unwell, and probably led to reflect 
a little on that account, I was made sensible of a 
Divine visitation being extended to me, disclosing 
with indubitable clearness the vanity and emptiness 
of every earthly station, tarnishing the pride and 
glory of this perishing world in my sight; and 
which, though little understood and less regarded at 



DANIEL WHEELER. 13 

the moment, has since, at different periods of my 
eliequered life, been brought to my remembrance by 
Him ^who declareth unto man His thoughts — who 
maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon 
the high places of the earth — the Lord, the Lord 
of hosts is His name/ When this occurred, although 
then entered into the bond of iniquity, I had not 
launched so fully into its dreadful abyss as was after- 
wards most lamentably the case; and from what I 
have since witnessed, in unutterable mercy, of the 
strength and power of redeeming love, a belief is 
induced, that if this warning voice, then sounding 
in the secret of my sinful heart, ' Behold, I stand at 
the door and knock,' had been hearkened unto, and 
waited upon, my footsteps, even mine, would have 
been conducted from the horrible pit to which they 
were fast verging. 

I continued nearly six years in the navy ; but were 
all the changes from ship to ship enumerated which 
took place during that time, and the great variety 
of incidents which befell me, they would swell this 
narrative far beyond the limits intended. Whilst, 
however, I am desirous of avoiding the error of 
gratifying self, or merely amusing others, I beg to 
be preserved from a greater, in omitting anything 
tending in the slightest degree to make known the 
aboundings of that wondrous goodness and mercy 
which followed me all along through an unparalleled 
course of presumptuous and unrestrained liberty. It 
may therefore suffice for me to say, that, notwith- 
standing the many and great dangers I was exposed 
2 



14 MEMOIRS OF 

to, and the hardsMps and sufferings I had to endure, 
through all which I was preserved and sustained in 
a manner at this day inconceivable to myself; yet 
none of these things were sufficient to soften the 
rocky heart, or bring me to a sense of my lost condi- 
tion ; for whether on board or on shore, in harbour or 
at sea, or in whatever country, if I could meet with 
associates prone like myself to evil, I was always 
ready to hasten with them to it, either in word or in 
deed. 

An expected war with a foreign power had occa- 
sioned an unusually large fleet to collect at Spithead ; 
but, after a time, the differences being adjusted, the 
ships were dispersed to their respective posts, and 
that to which I belonged was paid off. She was 
commissioned the next day as a guard-ship, and I 
have no doubt that I might have resumed my station 
as one of her mates, had I made application; for, 
with all my private failings, as a poor sinful creature, 
my public character had not suffered in any of the 
ships in which I had served, but rather the contrary; 
for my pride and presumption had often prompted 
me, in moments of extreme danger, in a daring man- 
ner to take the most hazardous post, even when duty 
did not require it, or warrant the risk. But instead 
of applying to be reinstated in my former berth, I 
remained on shore in pursuit of sinful gratifications, 
with increased avidity; and, going up to London, so 
much time elapsed before my return, that I never 
afterwards attempted to procure a situation in the 
ship I had left, or in any other. In this way I left 



DANIEL WHEELER. 15 

the service altogether; and would I could say, that 
I left the service of sin at the same time. I now 
found the disadvantage of not having been regularly 
brought up to a trade : for want of this knowledge I 
was alike unfit for all employment. 

Towards the latter part of the time of my being 
in the navy, it was suggested to my lost and bewil- 
dered mind, by the subtle destroyer of men, that 
nothing short of making away with myself could ex- 
tricate me from the difficulties by which I was sur- 
rounded, and shelter me from shame and disgrace; 
and the method of its accomplishment was at seasons 
hinted at. But — blessed be the name of the Lord 
God of heaven and earth for ever ! — His invisible 
arm, of merciful interposition, preserved me from 
this dreadful snare; and in the greatness of His 
love and strength He hath at this distant period put 
it into the heart of His unworthy creature to record 
His mighty acts, to His praise and to His glory, with 
humble and reverend thankfulness. Grreatly do I 
desire, that if this relation should ever fall into the 
hands of any poor sinners, servants of the cruel 
taskmaster, as was then my lot, that such may be 
hereby strengthened and encouraged to look unto the 
Lord their God for help, even though they may be 
plunged into the very gulf of despair ; for ^ His 
compassions fail not^ — they are new every morning; 
His tender mercies are over all His works ; and He 
will give power to the faint, and strength to them 
that have no might of their own, to resist this^ and 



16 MEMOIRS OF 

every other temptation of that wicked one, who was 
a liar from the beginning/^ 

His means becoming speedily reduced, and failing 
in his attempts to procure employment, he could not 
bear the thought of making his fallen condition 
known to his friends. Under these circumstances, 
he entered the army as a volunteer. 



DANIEL WHEELER. 17 



CHAPTEH II. 

D. WHEELER GOES TO IRELAND WITH IIIS REGIMENT — 
HARASSING SERVICE — RETURNS TO ENGLAND — E3IBARKS 
FOR CAMPAIGN ON THE CONTINENT — GREAT EXPOSURE 
AND SUFFERING. 

The regiment in which he engaged was soon 
after ordered to Ireland, and was stationed at Dub- 
lin, in that agitated state of public affairs which 
resulted in open rebellion to the government. The 
fatigue of the troops was great, as they were required 
to be on duty every other night, and this in the win- 
ter season. 

Proceeding with his narrative, we find : '' Discon- 
tent increasing, and disturbances breaking out in the 
interior of the country. Small detachments of troops 
were despatched from Dublin, to strengthen the au- 
thority of the magistrates in their endeavours to 
maintain public tranquillity, and to afford protection 
to the peaceable inhabitants from the nightly depre- 
dations of numerous gangs of misled and intoxicated 
desperadoes, to which they and their property were 
constantly exposed, under a variety of pretences. 
It was my lot,^^ he says, " to be chosen with the first 
of the detached parties, to a share of this dangerous 
and harassing service; on which, such was at one 
time the emergency, that we were kept on the alert 
2* 



18 MEMOIRS OF 

night after night, without any intermission, for a 
week together, with only such intervals of rest as 
could be procured in the day-time. Whilst on this 
expedition, on a particular enterprise with a constable, 
I was, to all appearance, reduced to the necessity of 
taking the life of another to save my own. The con- 
stable, perceiving the danger, had left me alone 3 
when I was suddenly attacked by a poor infuriated 
creature, in a state little short of perfect madness, 
from continued intoxication, supported by several 
others, but in a less outrageous condition. I kept 
him at bay for some time; but at last he got so near, 
that it became every moment more difficult to avoid 
being reached by the violent strokes he made with 
some kind of weapon, I think of iron, which were 
repeatedly received by the firelock in my hands, 
then loaded with ball. In this situation there seemed 
left to me no other than the dreadful alternative of 
shooting him to save myself. I called in vain in the 
language of appeal to the other people to interfere : 
they stood by, as if to see how matters were likely 
to terminate, before they began to act or take a part 
of any consequence either way, which they nearly 
carried too far ; but when they saw me actually pre- 
paring to shoot the man, they hastily cried out, 
^ Spare life I spare life ! ^ — which I only wanted their 
help to enable me to accomplish. They then seized 
him, and in the midst of the struggle and confusion 
which took place amongst themselves, my escape was 
happily efi'ected. I cannot suppose, at that time, 
when I wanted only the help of other men to enable 



DANIEL WHEELER. 19 

me to spare life, that the principal motive was other 
than that of self-preservation. Therefore it is greatly 
to be feared (although that heart must be callous 
indeed, which in all such cases does not recoil from 
the horrid act) that it was not love to my fellow- 
creature which prompted the desire in me to spare 
his life. Let none mistake it as such. I have fre- 
quently thought of this circumstance since it occurred, 
I hope with humble thankfulness to the great Pre- 
server of men ; and now, on committing it to record, 
as one of those many events in which there was but 
one step between me and the grave, and whilst shud- 
dering at the strong recollection of it, my soul mag- 
nifies that unmerited and amazing mercy, afresh dis- 
played to my understanding in a two-fold view — on 
the one hand in withholding me from the crime of 
taking away the life of a fellow-creature, like myself, 
'in the gall of bitterness/ and, if I had escaped 
myself, thus sparing me, at this late hour, amidst the 
decay of nature, when the shadows of the evening 
are stretching out, and my feet drawing near the 
margin of the grave, the appalling thought of a 
brother's blood yet un wiped away: on the other 
hand, in rescuing from immediate death two misera- 
ble sinners wholly unprepared to die; for, had I 
taken away the man's life, my own would doubtless 
have been forthwith sacrificed to the revenge of his 
enraged companions. Thus, as my history rolls on, 
the enormous load of debt which I already owe unto 
my Lord still accumulates ; and verily it never can 
be liquidated but in that infinite and wondrous mercy 



20 MEMOIRS OF 

whicli delighteth to forgive every repenting sinner, 
who^ in tlie depths of humility and abasedness of 
self, has indeed ^nothing to pay^ withal/^ 

He was relieved from this arduous duty by being 
promoted to a position in the writing department of 
the commander-in-chief, at Dublin. This gave him 
greater liberty and larger means to take his swing in 
every inordinate gratification of that extensive city. 
^^ Thus,^^ he says, ^^ adding sin to sin, and making far- 
ther woful work for repentance. Although at times, 
in the midst of these evil practices, I was made sen- 
sible of convicting reproofs, sufficient to have awa- 
kened any one but myself, yet they only seemed to 
deter me for a short interval from persisting in them, 
or until another opportunity offered — such was their 
dominion over me. This course was, however, at last 
stopped by the sudden march of the regiment to 
Grranard; but not before my health had begun to 
suffer from my folly. 

Our stay was not long at this place ; for the French 
Revolution, which had occurred about two years 
before, now began to occasion more frequent move- 
ments and changes amongst the military. I was 
engaged in some hazardous enterprises whilst lying 
here; and, although the town was small, and our 
time in it short, yet there were sufficient temptations 
to be found for my unwary feet to fall into. From 
this place, a part of the regiment, consisting of two 
hundred picked men and a suitable number of offi- 
cers, was drafted to serve in an expedition then pre- 
paring to act in the West Indies. The same quota 



DANIEL WHEELER. 21 

was selected from every regiment in Ireland, then 
seventeen in number, and possibly from every regi- 
ment in England also. From all tbe information 
that I could ever obtain, the greatest part, if not the 
whole, of these poor devoted fellows, then declared 
to be the flower of the British army, fell victims to 
the climate and the war. I mention this lamentable 
fact, although foreign to my subject, to perpetuate 
all in my power [the knowledge of] the ravages of 
this horrid and desolating scourge of the human 
race. At the same time, under a deep sense of my 
then sinful condition, my mind is struck with admi- 
ration, that I was not included in the above-mentioned 
draft, to which I was no less liable than others ; were 
it only as a punishment which I so justly merited, for 
my unprecedented rebellion against a long-suffering 
and all-gracious Lord God. 

Our next remove was to Galway, where, after some 
weeks, I was again promoted, from what cause I do 
not now remember ; but, as had been the case in the 
navy, so now, however profligate my conduct in the 
general, I still kept up a fair name, by being ready 
for all the duties that devolved upon me.'^ 

New regiments being required to prosecute more 
vigorously the continental war, Daniel Wheeler was 
selected, with others, to expedite their formation. 
He returned to Dublin to engage in this recruiting 
service. The number stipulated having been raised 
and accepted by the government, he was promoted 
shortly after joining the new regiment. His narra- 
tive proceeds : " Such was the urgency of affairs just 



22 MEMOIRSOF 

then, that, wliilst in a raw and incomplete stat^ of 
discipline, almost beyond conception, from the wild- 
ness of character of the class of people of which the 
principal part of the regiment was composed, imme- 
diate embarkation was ordered. When the time for 
sending off these newly-raised troops was fully come, 
the utmost despatch was necessary ; for it was very 
evident, that had time been allowed for the informa- 
tion to spread to any material extent, the embarka- 
tion could scarcely haye been effected without blood- 
shed. As it was, though the preparations commenced 
soon after three o'clock in the morning, the concourse 
of people assembled together was immense, to behold 
their countrymen, in every relation of fathers, hus- 
bands, brothers, and sons, forced away from their 
native shores — I may say forced away, for it was 
necessary to assemble a strong military force from 
the garrison to insure the embarkation, which, after 
all, was not effected without some difficulty. From 
my own personal knowledge of the fate of many of 
these poor fellows, and of the destination of those 
remaining after I left them, I think it scarcely pro- 
bable that any of them ever returned. 

TVe were favoured with a fine passage to the 
Severn, and landed about six miles below Bristol ; 
in which city we remained one night, and then 
marched forward to an encampment, where several 
other regiments were previously assembled, at Netley 
Abbey. From the undisciplined condition, with but 
small exception, of the officers and men who com- 
posed our regiment, it was only reasonable to suppose 



DANIEL WHEELER. 23 

it had now reached its destination for the present ; 
but^ after a few weeks' training, it was numbered 
with the Hne. We received a set of new colours, 
and embarked on Southampton river, with the other 
regiments which formed the camp at Netley Abbey, 
to join the British army then on the continent, under 
the command of the Duke of York. We dropped 
down to Spithead next morning, and the same after- 
noon Earl Moira, the commander-in-chief, having 
joined the expedition, we sailed, thirty-seven ships 
in company, under convoy, to the coast of Flanders. 
The weather being thick, with light airs of wind, 
our passage, though fine, was rather tedious, before 
reaching an anchorage off the port of Ostend. From 
circumstances of an unfavourable cast, unknown to 
us at the time, it was judged most prudent for the 
expedition to be free from every incumbrance likely 
to retard or impede its movements through the 
Netherlands; the success and safety of the enter- 
prise wholly depending upon its ability to evade and 
elude, by the rapidity of its movements, in forced 
marches by night, the greatly disproportionate strength 
of the enemy. The number of troops then under 
Earl Moira was little more than 7000; whilst the 
French force, through which we had to pass, was 
estimated at 80,000, and they were at the time so 
posted, as seemed to prohibit our junction with the 
Duke's army. It was therefore concluded, that 
every article of baggage and stores, belonging either 
to officers or soldiers, beyond what they could them- 
selves carry, should be left on board the ships. At 



24 MjEMOmS OF 

an early hour of the morning after our arrival in the 
roads off the town of Ostend^ every officer and sol- 
dier was furnished with a blanket, and an allowance 
of three days' provisions and water, from the stores 
of the transports; it being very uncertain whether 
any supplies could be obtained for some days to 
come. Thus provided, the troops were disembarked 
under cover of two large floating batteries, prepared 
for the occasion, to prevent any attempt to frustrate 
their descent. As the boats employed had many 
times to pass to and fro, between the ships and the 
shore, before the whole were conveyed, it was near 
night when the landing was fully accomplished. To 
expedite the landing, a large float was made use of, 
to assist in crossing a narrow space of water con- 
nected with the harbour; so that the troops were 
enabled to land at more than one point at a time, 
and then unite. It was well for those who had 
nothing to do with this ill-adapted float; for, in the 
hurry, it became overladen with soldiers, and was 
quickly overturned, causing the loss of many men, 
who, from their being encumbered with arms, bag- 
gage, and provisions, were incapable of making much 
effort to save themselves ; this weight being strongly 
attached to their bodies, they sank before they could 
extricate themselves from it. I landed on the main 
shore of the harbour, and thus providentially escaped 
with only seeing the float then loading, just before 
the accident happened. 

I do not know how it fared with others, but it is 
scarcely probable, all circumstances considered, that 



DANIEL WHEELER. 25 

there could be any material superiority in the accom- 
modation of one more than another. On the morn- 
ing that we landed, I might doubtless have been 
supplied with a blanket, in common with others; 
but as I occupied a station, in which little rest could 
be expected, even when others slept, and supposing 
that I should be able to borrow from some of the 
others, when they could not be used by themselves, 
this opportunity was lost ; but I afterwards regretted 
the non-acceptance of it. From the day we left the 
transports, several weeks elapsed before I got to 
sleep under the cover of a tent; as these, with the 
rest of the luggage and stores, were left on board 
the ships to be conveyed to Helvoetsluys, as a place 
more secure from the French than Ostend. We 
remained upon the sand-hills near Ostend three days 
and nights after landing, and then commenced a 
march which could scarcely be equalled for fatigue 
and hardship; as we were wholly unprovided with 
provisions, and every common necessary with which 
the generality of troops are usually furnished at the 
opening of a campaign. 

It would be no very difficult task for me, at this 
day, to enter into minute detail of particular circum- 
stances, were it consistent with the declared object 
before me, in setting about to pen this memoir ; for, 
although so many years have rolled away since these 
miserable scenes were actually shared in and wit- 
nessed, yet such are the strong impressions stamped 
on my memory by the sufferings endured, and the 
manifold deliverances which followed, that while en- 
3 



26 MEMOIRS OF 

deavouring to insert sucli incidents only as are need- 
ful to preserve the cliain of history^ in sufficient 
links of connection to enable me to proceed with 
correctness — transactions that have long been forgot- 
ten^ though they once formed a prominent feature in 
the toils of the day^ are recalled from oblivion in a 
remarkable manner. I must^ however^ forbear to 
intrude them here^ and proceed again with saying, 
that, on leaving the neighbourhood of Ostend, we 
passed through Bruges, and penetrated into the 
country by way of Ghent. The first halting-place 
of the army, in the evening of the same day that it 
left the coast, was called the ^ Pigeon's Nest ; ^ but 
it did not prove a very quiet one, for, by two o'clock 
in the morning, the advance of the enemy was an- 
nounced by the firing of the picquets by which we 
were surrounded. Whether this attack was intended 
to alarm only, or to endeavour to take us by surprise, 
I never understood; if the latter, it certainly failed, 
for the troops were literally sleeping on their arms, 
covered with their blankets, so that in a few minutes 
a line was formed, with the commander-in-chief pre- 
sent. It was, however, considered prudent to remain 
there no longer, and in half an hour this post was 
abandoned, and the march continued until noon the 
next day, when a stoppage occurred, from the French 
having occupied a bridge over which we had to pass. 
Notwithstanding the men were almost ready to faint 
for want of food, having scarcely tasted any thing 
for twenty-four hours, yet on its being proclaimed 
through the line that volunteers were wanted to 



DANIEL WHEELER. 27 

force tlie passage over tlie bridge^ a sufficient num- 
ber immediately offered^ apparently glad of such an 
opportunity. After three hours' detention, the ob- 
struction was removed, I am inclined to think by its 
being found that the force advancing against it was 
much too strong for that by which the bridge was 
occupied. The army then moved forward until mid- 
night, although its course was much impeded by a 
tremendous storm of thunder, lightning, and heavy 
rain, which commenced at nine, P. M., and continued 
several hours. I do not see how I could have suffi- 
ciently exalted the name of my God, and His gra- 
cious dealings with a poor benighted and rebellious 
creature, without mentioning the two facts just re- 
lated ; inasmuch as they magnify, in my view. His 
long-suffering and protection to one who was utterly 
insensible of His loving kindness, and who then knew 
Him not; and I trust I shall not be permitted to 
overlook or pass by any thing that will show forth 
His praise, and tend to His glory; or be prevented 
from acknowledging His power and His might, who 
hath, according to His mercy, so many times deliv- 
ered me out of every distress. For, notwithstanding 
the constant exposure to every shower of rain that 
fell, without covering over my head, and with no 
couch but the earth, and that at times soaked with 
wet; whilst harassed with fatiguing marches night 
after night, and with little rest by day; amidst 
hunger and thirst, being often short of food for 
days together, and occasionally no water to be had, 
without digging a well to procure it, to avoid the 



28 M E M 1 R S F 

unwholesome waters of tlie stagnant pools ; and al- 
though for several weeks together my clothes were 
never taken off but to renew a shirt, and my shoes 
but seldom off my weary feet ; yet, through all, my 
health was not materially affected till near the ap- 
proach of winter. But, in the above description, not 
one half has been told of that marvellous mercy 
which was still extended for my preservation, when 
many fell by the sword, or were taken captives by 
the enemy; when thousands were swept off by pes- 
tilence ; and, whilst unhurt myself, I saw the wounds 
of others bleed. Once, whilst gone to Helvoetsluys 
in search of some baggage, I entirely missed a con- 
test, in which our regiment was deprived of twenty- 
eight men ; and when at last overwhelmed with sick- 
ness and distress, the same Divine and compassionate 
arm of everlasting love and strength was still under- 
neath to bear up my helpless head, and in His own 
time to rescue me from the very jaws of death, to 
celebrate His praise, and to declare, in humble 
thankfulness and gratitude of soul, ^ His wonderful 
works to the children of men.' '^ 



DANIEL WHEELER. 29 



CHAPTEK III. 

PRESERVED FROM DANGER IN THE FIELD OF BATTLE — AT- 
TACKED BY FEVER HOSPITAL TREATMENT REMARK- 
ABLE RECOVERY RETREAT OF THE ARMY RETURN TO 

ENGLAND. 

^^As the winter approached^ the health of the 
troops began to fail to an alarming and awful extent^ 
from exposure to cold rains, which fell almost daily; 
and yet we were compelled to keep the field, being 
constantly on the retreat before the greatly superior 
force of the enemy. As we drew near the walls of 
Nimeguen, the British forces made a stand, probably 
to afibrd time for preparing a floating-bridge across 
the Waal, to secure our retreat behind that river. 
At the same time, the French used every effort in 
their power to intercept our retreat, by endeavouring 
to get between us and Nimeguen, which, from the 
strength of its fortifications, was capable of affording 
a cover for several days, or until our army had 
passed in safety over the bridge. 

The last two or three days the contest between 
the two armies became more severe, by the continual 
arrival of fresh divisions of the French at this point : 
on the last day the cannon scarcely ceased to roar 
f.om sun-rise to sun-set. The regiment to which I 
belonged was ordered on the reserve with three 
3* 



30 M E M O I R S O F 

others; two of wMcli were Britisli, and the third 
Hanoverian. As the cannonade increased, the first 
regiment of reserve was called upon, in two hours 
after the second summoned, and by eleven o'clock in 
the forenoon, the third. The direction from which 
the sound of the conflict issued, left no doubt that 
it was rapidly approaching the ground on which we 
stood ; and although, as the last reserve, we had not 
been ordered to march, yet our tents were struck, 
and every thing prepared to move on the first alarm.* 
I had been going about in the wet for several days 
previous, without the practicability of obtaining dry 
clothes ; and this day being colder and more rainy 
than usual, with the increased exertion necessary on 
account of the threatening aspect of things close 
upon us, might hasten an illness, the foundation of 
which had already been deeply laid, and which began 
with shivering fits, just in the interval of waiting for 
the expected courier to call us to the field of slaughter. 
About three o'clock in the afternoon, a light dragoon 
arrived with a dispatch ; but instead of its hastening 
us to the scene of action, it proved to be an order for 
us to join the rear of another regiment then retreat- 
ing towards Nimeguen. Our army, after sustaining 
for many hours with great loss the unequal combat, 
was at length compelled to retire. Thus were we 
preserved when on the very brink of danger, in a 
manner as unlooked for as unmerited, from sharing 

^ Our expedition landed without any tents, but a supply 
was furnished about six weeks afterwards, I think whilst 
we were encamped on the plains of Breda. 



DANIEL WHEELER 



31 



in the disasters of a day in whicli mucli human life 
was wasted, and which entailed great suffering and 
distress on many who survived it. After we had 
moved forward two or three miles, the coldness and 
shivering I had previously felt were succeeded by 
violent heat and fever, and my throat seemed almost 
closed up. For several days I had found swallowing 
very painful and difficult, from its extreme soreness ; 
but had taken little notice of it. In this condition 
I was still able to keep up with the body of the regi- 
ment; but, after entering the gates of Nimeguen, 
from the frequent stoppages which took place in the 
miry streets of the city, owing to accidents constantly 
occurring with the floating-bridge, occasioned by the 
fire of the French upon it, I became more and more 
affected with something of the cramp kind, which 
nearly prevented my standing upright. As the night 
drew on, it became colder, and my pain increased, 
but I kept going on as well as I could : at length we 
came in sight of the bridge, when we were again 
stopped for some time. I was near the colours of 
the regiment, and an officer who carried one of them 
made some remarks to me about the bridge ; but feel- 
ing myself much worse, I told him I should never 
go over that bridge. He endeavoured to cheer me 
up, saying, that I should go over that and many 
more; but, however, my assertion proved correct; 
for, before the line again moved forward, I had left 
it, and was leaning against the wall of a house, no 
longer able to proceed, from increased illness. 

In this position I remained for some time; and 



32 MEMOIRS OF 

after having painfully beheld the last of the rear of 
the regiment pass on and leave me behind, there 
seemed to be no hope left, as the only men in the 
world from whom I conld expect a helping hand 
were all out of sight. But, although apparently for- 
saken by all, and left to perish unseen and unknown, 
yet that ever-compassionate Arm, which had so often 
been with me in extremity, was again stretched out, 
and did not long allow me to remain in this deplorable 
condition 3 but, in adorable mercy, my gracious Lord 
was pleased to put into the hearts of some of the 
regiment who knew the real cause of my absence, to 
send two of the men back to endeavour to find me 
out, and render every assistance in their power. As 
I had not gone from the place where I stopped, they 
had no difficulty in finding me, although it was by 
that time nearly dark; but as I could not possibly go 
forward to the regiment, they at last concluded to 
leave me in the hands of a picquet of cavalry, which 
was left to cov^' the retreat of the army through the 
city. Having helped me to the place, and left jue in 
charge of the picquet, they made ofi* with all haste 
to overtake their companions. Here the wife of a 
soldier gave me some ground pepper mixed with 
heated spirits; and although, from the state of my 
throat, I could scarcely swallow the fiery mixture, 
yet it proved useful, considerably relieving the pain 
in my stomach, and renewing the general warmth. 
As it was expected that the enemy would attack the 
Ijatteries in the night (which however was not the 
case, although they kept up a heavy firing), I was 



DANIEL WHEELER, 33 

helped into a loft, to be out of the way; here I re- 
mained until the morning, and was then assisted on 
board of a galliot, provided for the reception of those 
who, like myself, were disabled by sickness or other 
causes. The hold of this vessel was filled with as 
many people as could lie close to each other : they 
were in the various stages of a violent epidemic dis- 
order; and, from the heat occasioned by so many 
being crowded together, the air was very oppressive, 
and difficult to breathe. Two other galliots of a 
similar description proceeded in company with us up 
the river, in hopes of getting round a neck of land 
at which the Waal and the Rhine unite. But al- 
though considerable exertions were made by the sail- 
ors, aided by such of the sick as were at all able to 
stand, of whom I made one, they had not succeeded 
in warping round the point, when a party of French 
hussars made their appearance on the shore. It was 
fully expected they would endeavour to prevent our 
escape, by opening a fire with cannon; but before 
they had time to bring any near enough to bear on 
us, we had got fairly into the current of the Rhine, 
and were soon beyond their reach. Being much 
exhausted, I went below, but soon became very ill 
from the closeness of the place. Whilst under this 
and other distressing circumstances, both of body 
and mind, one of our companions, who lay next but 
one to me, was removed by death from all his 
troubles ; and although none of us could expect, at 
the time, but that a similar fate would in all proba- 
bility soon overtake us, — yet, in my own case at 



34 MEMOIRS OF 

least^ notwitlistanding I was worn down witli fatigue 
and sickness, and without a glimpse of any thing to 
make life any longer desirable, except the fear of 
death, — still, nature could not but feel appalled, 
when the dead body of a fellow-sufferer was dragged 
past, to be taken on to the deck of the vessel. As 
the evening came on, I became much worse; and 
although the night was cold and frosty, I thought it 
better to get on deck, where I could breathe more 
freely, rather than remain any longer below; accord- 
ingly three or four of the people helped me up, for 
I was now so faint for want of support, that I had 
scarcely any strength left. I remained on deck all 
night, and got a little sleep; in the morning, the 
cold compelled me again to go below, but I felt a 
little refreshed, and better able to bear the closeness 
of the place, keeping near the hatchway, where there 
was a greater circulation of air. In two days more 
we arrived at Rhenin, a town close to the bank of 
the Rhine, where an old monastery was fitted up as 
an hospital for the British sick. 

Sometime after reaching this place, a person came 
on board the galliot to see if there were any amongst 
the newly-arrived sick with whom he was acquainted. 
He came down below, and, after looking round, was 
about going away, when I made what effort I could 
for some one to stop him. He had looked at me, 
amongst the rest ; but I was so much reduced and 
altered in appearance that he had not recognised me, 
but passed by, although he had once known me very 
well. When brought back, he soon recollected me^ 



DANIEL WHEELER. 35 

and feelingly expressed great regret at finding his 
old acquaintance in such a weak condition. He had 
been a patient in this hospital himself^ and when 
restored to health again^ being found an active and 
useful person^ he was retained as a ward-master for 
the benefit of others. Having had the fever, he 
was tolerably well acquainted with the best mode of 
treating it; and soon after finding me, he adminis- 
tered a small quantity of strong cordial, which had 
the desired efiect for a short time, by enabling me 
to get on shore. With his assistance I was conveyed 
to the hospital, where he soon procured one of the 
surgeons to examine me ; and being very desirous to 
render every assistance in his power, he suggested to 
him the propriety of giving some particular medi- 
cine, which had often proved useful in bad cases; 
to which the surgeon replied, not aware that I heard 
all that was passing between them, ^ He will not want 
any thing long.^ By this it was evident that mine 
was considered a hopeless case ; which could not be 
wondered at, the disorder having been so fatal, that 
those who had recovered were said not to average 
more than one in fifty; and as my attack had been 
so long neglected, the conclusion was reasonable, al- 
though it did not prove correct. In a few days I was 
so much recruited as to be able to walk about the 
town ; but it was a distinguishing characteristic of 
this complaint, that having once had it was no secu- 
rity whatever against a second attack, and that those 
who got well through it the first, or perhaps the 
second time, were frequently its victims on the third 



36 MEMOIRSOF 

encounter. I found by experience tliat this report 
was not without foundation; for instead of being 
fully restored to bealth again, as for the first few 
days seemed probable, the disorder returned a second 
time, and with much more violent symptoms. As a 
state of high delirium soon came on, I was but a 
short time sensible of what transpired, after the ap- 
plication of a large blister; except the workings of a 
terrified imagination, some of the impressions of 
which, even at this distance of time, are not wholly 
obliterated from my memory, so deeply and strongly 
were they engraven. From the treatment which fol- 
lowed, when no longer delirious, the disorder must 
have been of the nature of typhus ; as at one time a 
liberal allowance per day of equal parts of brandy 
and port wine was given me, as hot as could well be 
taken. How long this continued I am not aware, 
but I was confined to my bed for such a length of 
time, as to be wholly unable to move in any direc- 
tion, from extreme weakness ; and so generally was 
this the case in this disorder, that a man was ap- 
pointed in every ward to go round occasionally, to 
turn from one side to the other such of the patients 
as were incapable of turning themselves. 

I was at length brought so near the brink of the 
grave, that, to all appearance, no alteration for the 
better could be expected. I am not aware that I 
had even a wish to live ; but my mind was so recon- 
ciled to the prospect of death, which then seemed 
near and inevitable, that I had given my watch into 
the hands of the person who had visited the galliot, 
with a request that he would inform my family where 



DANIEL WHEELER. 3T 

\ 

T had ended my days. Indeed, wlien some expecta- 
tion of recovery was at last held out^ I could not help 
looking forward, with a feeling of regret, to the pro- 
bability of having again to encounter the series of 
hardships and distress to which I should unavoidably 
be subjected. As I regained a little strength, I 
began to take notice of the state of things around 
me ; and having daily heard a noise like that of a 
carpenter's shop, I now ascertained the cause to be 
the nailing up of the coffins, each day, of those who 
had died in the last twenty-four hours ; and I found 
that the dead-house, or place where the dead were 
deposited previously to interment, when taken out of 
the wards, being opposite the windows of the room I 
was in, afforded full opportunity for my beholding the 
striking and affecting scene, which could not fail to 
excite feelings of horror and dismay in one so much 
enervated by the very disease which I now witnessed 
to be so fatal to others. The average number of 
deaths was twenty-seven in a day and night; but 
sometimes the number so increased, that the Dutch 
could not furnish coffins sufficient for the demand of 
the day; and then the method of sewing up the 
bodies in the bedding they had occupied, was re- 
sorted to. Several wagon loads of bodies were car- 
ried off every afternoon for interment.'^ 

•^^ The accounts of the deplorable treatment of the sick, 
and of the disasters of the British army in their retreat to 
Bremen, as given in the Annual Register of 1795, more than 
confirm the description of the author of this biographical 
sketch. 

4 



38 . MEMOIRS OF 

When able to walk about the room with the assist- 
ance of my stick, it happened that the regiment to 
which I belonged was quartered in a village about 
two miles from the bank of the Ehine, opposite to 
that on which the hospital stood. Some of the offi- 
cers came over to ascertain for themselves whether 
any of the missing from their regiment were amongst 
the sick : at length they came into the ward where I 
was, and the second in command, with whom I was 
well acquainted, being with them, I requested his 
help to get me liberated from the hospital, telling 
him that I had no chance of becoming thoroughly 
well whilst in it, and of the danger to which I was 
constantly exposed of having another relapse. He 
immediately applied to some of the medical staff on 
duty, and conducted them to me through the wards ; 
but it ended in his informing me that the doctors 
could not suffer my going out until farther recovered, 
as I was quite unfit for exposure. Not knowing how 
long I might be detained, I was now determined to 
make my escape on the first opportunity; and the 
next day being remarkably fine, I walked out two or 
three times into the air, though with much difficulty, 
The following morning I met with a person belong- 
ing to the regiment, who was going to join it again 
the same afternoon ; and, as we were well acquainted, 
I did not hesitate to disclose my intention of quitting 
the hospital in a clandestine manner, and resolved to 
accompany him, if possible. 

I returned again to the hospital, as at other times; 
and in the afternoon^ as if going to take another walk, 



D A N I E L W II E E L E R . 39 

I proceeded to the river side; and tlie ferry-boat 
being just ready for setting off, I got into it undis- 
covered^ and passed the Rhine, arriving at the village 
of Kesterne soon after dark the same evening, with- 
out taking cold, although the river was thickly frozen 
over, and a passage cut through the ice, to allow the 
ferry-boat to cross backwards and forwards. From 
this time I rapidly gathered strength, and at the end 
of a week was so much recruited, as to venture back 
to the hospital to see how those fared whom I had 
left behind ; at the same time, it is very probable, to 
show how I had fared myself; without any fear of 
being detained, as I was evidently much stronger 
than when under their roof. To lessen the fatigue, 
I procured a horse for the excursion, and proceeded 
accordingly towards the river side. The risk I then 
ran, however unwarrantable, afforded me another 
opportunity of seeing the effect of a renewed attack 
of this dreadful disorder upon a Scotch sergeant of 
the Highland watch, who had had the fever twice, 
and both times recovered from it. He was a very 
stout man, and when I left the hospital appeared in 
perfect health and strength. In the interval of my 
absence, he had been seized with it a third time, and 
when I saw him, had nearly finished his course ; he 
was speechless, and survived but a short time after- 
wards : I think this last time, he was ill only three 
days. Although I escaped any farther infection, yet 
I was punished for my temerity before getting back 
again to Kesterne. After crossing the river in the 
boat; I had to pass through a small sheet of shallow 



40 MEMOIRS or 

water, whicli had been frozen, but was tben broken 
up by tbe loaded wagons that passed that way. On 
getting up to it, I found it in a half-frozen state, the 
old ice not being sufficiently strongly united again to 
bear the horse, which refused to pass it ; and on my 
urging him forward, he lay down with me in the 
water. It was with difficulty that I could extricate 
myself from him, and it is doubtful whether I should 
have succeeded, without the assistance of another 
person then at hand. In this wet condition I had a 
long distance to go, in a keen frosty night, in an open 
wagon, which the day following threatened a renewal 
of my illness ; but, by the timely use of medicines, 
I was favoured, not according to my deserts, to escape 
without any serious indisposition. 

In looking back at the maryellous manner in 
which I was sustained through all this conflict, and 
again restored as one brought back from the dead, I 
cannot avoid adverting to that period of my illness 
when my mind felt so reconciled to the prospect of 
death, as before-mentioned ; and I now fully believe, 
from what I have since been mercifully favoured to 
experience, that so far from being in any degree 
prepared for such an awful event, a deceptive feeling 
must have been superinduced by the state of torpor 
and insensibility in which I then was, and which 
totally benumbed any better feelings and desires as 
to the future. To this may be added a predominating 
fear of having to endure more of those sufferings, 
of which I had had no small share ; which, the pro- 
bability of being again restored to health seemed to 



DANIEL WHEELER. 41 

banisli every liope of escaping. Truly awful is the 
thought which this view of my then lost condition 
occasions, when I contemplate the woe and misery 
which must have been my eternal portion, if unutter- 
able mercy and long-suffering had been withdrawn ; 
and if the soul had been required of one who had 
witnessed no repentance towards God the Judge of 
all, except what at times the fear of punishment had 
extorted; and who was a stranger to that saving 
faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, as the ' Lamb of Grod 
that taketh away the sin of the world ' — without 
which. His precious blood would have been shed in 
vain for me : — I should thus have died in my sins, 
which, unrepented of, would have followed after to 
judgment, in terrible array against my guilty soul; 
and yet when my end was apparently so near and 
inevitable, if such questions as are frequently pro- 
posed on the like occasions had been put to me, I 
have little doubt but satisfactory answers would have 
been returned, as to my belief and hope in the essen- 
tial truths of the gospel. But, alas ! this would have 
been from hearsay and traditional report, and not 
from any heartfelt saving knowledge of my own ; for 
it is now plain to my understanding, that no man can 
have saving faith in Jesus Christ, who is unac- 
quainted with, and does not walk in, the light of 
that Divine Spirit, which is so justly styled the Spirit 
of faith. It is through this alone that the death and 
sufferings of Christ and his whole sacrifice for sin 
are availing, and truly applied to all those who 
through faith lay hold of Him, the true Light and 



42 * M E M I R S F 

Saviour of them that believe in His inward and 
spiritual appearance. These can say to others, from 
sensible and blessed experience : ^ Behold the Lamb 
of Grod^ that taketh away the sin of the world : ' 
they have received the atonement by Him, and they 
reap the glorious fruit and benefit of His death and 
sufi'ering for sin, by the sacrifice of Himself, and of 
His resurrection and ascension; in that He ever 
liveth to make intercession for those who are thus 
willing to come unto God by Him. A man may 
yield an assent to all the great and solemn truths 
of Christianity^ — the miraculous birth, holy life, 
cruel sufferings, ignominious death, and glorious re- 
surrection and ascension of our blessed Redeemer; 
— he may beheve, in the abstract, in His inward 
and spiritual appearance in the hearts of mankind 
by His Holy Spirit ; and yet he may fall short of the 
prize immortal, unless he comes to witness the saving 
operation of the Holy Spirit in his own heart, and 
to know thereby, through faith in it, a purifying pre- 
paration for the kingdom of righteousness, peace^ 
and joy in the Holy Ghost. How can I sufficiently 
appreciate or declare the extent of the endless mercy 
which suffered me not to perish in the midst of my 
sins, when so many were swept away by the same 
pestilential disorder ! 

After havinc; mentioned the facts connected with 
my sickness and recovery, it seems only due, however 
feeble on my part the effort, to endeavour to com- 
memorate such gracious dealings with humble grati- 
tude and reverence; earnestly desiring that no motive 



DANIEL WHEELER. 43 

whatever may be allowed to prevail with me for 
making the attempt, but that of promoting the glory 
and honour of the Great Name; that others may 
knoW; and fear, and believe in the all-sufficiency of 
that power which hath ' showed me the path of life/ 
and which alone can bless for their instruction what 
has been written, to press the necessity of contend- 
ing for that saving faith ^once delivered to the 
saints/ Without it, all religious profession is a 
dream, a shadow, and a doubt; but with it, a glo- 
rious reality; — yea, Hhe substance of things hoped 
for, the evidence of things not seen,^ — even the 
salvation of the soul, through Christ Jesus our 
Lord. 

Whilst the severity of the winter greatly facilitated 
the operations of the French army, by enabling them 
to cross the frozen rivers without difficulty, and at 
almost any given point; so it contributed most effiict- 
ually to harass the diminished numbers of the re- 
treating British forces. It was the more felt from 
the scarcity of provisions, occasioned by the inhabi- 
tants withholding from us every supply, in compliance 
with the intimidating; threatenino^s of our victorious 
enemy; so that we frequently could not procure 
needful food even for money, whilst our opponents 
were supplied by the terrified householders at free 
cost. In some places, the inhabitants openly declared 
they were withholding their provisions for the supply 
of the French, aware of the cruel treatment they 
should witness at their hands, if unable to provide 
for them when they arrived; although they consi- 



44 MEMOIRS OF 

dered the British to be their friends^ and were well 
treated by them. 

Before I left the hospital at Rhenin, the French 
had approached so near, that the windows of the 
place frequently shook with the discharge of their 
artillery. Sometimes a wagon load of the wounded 
English would arrive at the hospital ; when many, 
whose recovery would in a healthy situation have 
been speedy and almost certain, were carried off in 
a few days by the infectious disorder which prevailed 
at the place ; and, from the disastrous issue of the 
campaign, however greatly this was to be deplored, 
it could not be avoided. We were not long permitted 
to remain at Kesterne, before being obliged to move 
towards the north of Holland; when the town of 
Rhenin, with the hospital, fell into the hands of the 
enemy. Soon after this event, the frost became more 
intense ; and the Dutch could no longer make graves 
for the interment of the dead, but piled the coffins 
upon each other in great numbers, until a thaw took 
place. 

Although my strength was considerably recruited 
before we left Kesterne, I was yet very unequal to 
the subsequent exposure, having to pass great part 
of the first night in the frost, after leaving that 
place ; but although I slept in a cart with a canvass 
tilt, I do not remember taking cold, or otherwise 
experiencing any injurious effects, either then or 
afterwards, beyond what might have been expected 
from great fatigue and improper diet, there being at 
that time little to be procured, but coarse black bread 



Dx\NIEL WHEELER. 45 

and ardent spirits. During this harassing march, at 
such an inclement season, many of the poor men lost 
parts of their toes, by imprudently sitting down in 
the frost for too long a time at once, and from not 
having their feet properly protected. I can well 
remember having been so wearied myself, as to come 
to the determination to sit down, and risk the con- 
sequence, although fully aware of the danger of 
falling asleep in such circumstances; but I was 
prompted by a secret impulse to resist the inclina- 
tion, although nearly overcome with fatigue; then 
after moving about a while longer, I have again 
begun to give way, but still struggled on. And 
when at last it seemed as if human nature must 
give up, the thought of relations in England, as if I 
had had a home, would cross my mind, and stimulate 
me to try again in hope, until something has occurred 
to bring relief, and shelter, and repose. Perhaps, if 
more food could have been procured, the propensity 
to sleep, which exposure to cold occasioned, would 
have been irresistible. 

In this manner the winter wore away; but at 
length we got so far out of the reach of the French, 
as to allow a longer space of time for rest at each 
place we arrived at. The cold weather continued 
until we reached the banks of the river Weser; 
when the retreating wreck of our army was unex- 
pectedly cheered with a sight of the mast-heads of 
the British fleet lying off Bremen-leke, and waiting 
to convey it from the shores of the continent, where 
it had witnessed so much distress^ wasting, and de- 



46 MEMOIRS OF 

struction — to be attributed mucli more to hardships, 
fatigue, and pestilence, than to the sword of the 
enemy, although greatly superior to us in strength, 
and possessing local advantages of which we were 
wholly destitute/' 

[^Here ends the Author^s hiografphical sketch of his 
own life.'] 



DANIEL WHEELER. 47 



CHAPTER IV. 

SAILS WITH HIS REGIMENT TO THE WEST INDIES — WONDERFUL 
PRESERVATION — SERIOUS IMPRESSIONS — RETURNS TO ENG- 
LAND — CONVINCED OF FRIENDS' PRINCIPLES — BECOMES A 
MEMBER OF THE SOCIETY — SETTLES IN BUSINESS — HIS 
MARRIAGE ACKNOWLEDGED AS A MINISTER. 

No biograpliical memoranda appear to have been 
made by Daniel Wheeler for many years subsequent 
to this period. In the autumn of 1795 he obtained 
a commission in a regiment destined for the West 
Indies^ and sailed with the expedition appointed to 
this service under Sir Ralph Abercrombie. After a 
most stormy and disastrous passage, they were once 
in sight of the islands, but were driven back by a 
dreadful hurricane, in which several of the vessels 
foundered, and great numbers of the troops perished. 
A malignant fever also raged with fatal violence 
among the crews of the fleet; and in the ship in 
which he had embarked, twenty-seven fell victims to 
it within a short interval. 

Daniel Wheeler experienced a remarkable preser- 
vation at this time, to which he often referred, as a 
merciful interposition of an overruling Providence 
in his behalf. The vessel in which he was appointed 
to sail, and which was considered a remarkably fine 
onC; was crowded^ from the preference given to her 



48 MEMOIRS OF 

by many of tlie officers. After they had been some 
weeks at sea, a collier (being one of the vessels hired 
as transports) coming alongside, he proposed to one 
of his friends that they should go on board of her. 
His fellow-officers ridiculed the idea of preferring an 
old collier to the noble ship in which they were ; but 
he and his friend persisted, and transferred them- 
selves to her. The same evening a hurricane arose, 
and the vessel they had quitted was never heard of 
afterwards. 

In connection with this period, he remarked to a 
friend, on being questioned as to the means made use 
of in the Divine hand for effecting ' a new birth unto 
righteousness ^ in his heart, that he could not remem- 
ber any outward means having been employed, unless 
indeed he might except a storm at sea, during which 
his mind was deeply affected; and when under a 
feeling of his lost condition by nature, he was mer- 
cifully enabled also to see the remedy, and the entire 
spirituality of the gospel dispensation. ^^I was at 
this time convinced,^^ he says, ^^of Friends' princi- 
ples, they being neither more nor less, in my estima- 
tion, than pure Christianity. When Friends visited 
me, on my application for membership, I told them I 
was convinced at sea; for I verily believed, in look- 
ing back, that this had been the case: no human 
means were made use of; it was altogether the im- 
mediate work of the Holy Spirit upon my heart/'^ 
He resolved that, if again permitted to reach the 
shore, he would endeavour to lead a life of more 
circumspection, and which should tend to the glory 



DANIEL WHEELER. 49 

of Grod, wlio had thus so mercifully visited him by 
His free grace. Becoming dissatisfied with the mili- 
tary profession^ he quitted the army in the early part 
of the year 1796. 

He now became an inmate in the family of his 
eldest sister, who had married a member of the 
Society of Friends, and having become convinced 
of their religious principles, had united herself to 
them. Here his mind was renewedly impressed with 
the great importance of Divine truth. The little 
meeting which he attended in the early part of his 
religious course, that of Handsworth Woodhouse, was 
usually held in silence ; and he* was often known to 
refer to some of those solemn seasons, as times of 
peculiar instruction to his mind, in which the power 
of the Lord was sensibly felt and His truth revealed. 

Being made a partaker of the great privilege 
enjoyed by those who are of the flock of Christ, in 
being enabled to distinguish between the voice of 
the Good Shepherd and that of the stranger, he was 
earnestly desirous that obedience should keep pace 
with knowledge. He waited patiently upon the Lord 
for instruction in his various steppings, and being 
brought into a state of deep humility and prostration 
of spirit, he was made sensible that the only path in 
which he could walk with safety was that of self- 
denial. Much mental conflict was at this season his 
portion ; but peace was only to be obtained by the 
entire surrender of the will ; and in conformity with 
what he believed to be required of him, he adopted 
the plain dress of the Society of Friends. 
5 



50 MEMOIRS OF 

In the year 1797 lie was received into membership 
with that Society, and about the same time he en- 
gaged in the seed trade, at ShejB&eld. By the Divine 
blessing on his exertions, he soon succeeded in ob- 
taining a business fully adequate to his moderate 
desires. It was his daily practice, at those intervals 
when the attendance in his shop could be dispensed 
with, if but for a few minutes at a time, to retire to 
a small apartment behind it, and in a prayerful spirit 
to explore the contents of the sacred volume : the 
light which shone upon many passages, as he read, 
and the clear and strong views of religious truth 
which were then unfolded to his seeking soul, were 
such as greatly to confirm his faith, and strengthen 
him to persevere in that strait and narrow path 
into which his feet had been so mercifully turned. 
The study of many of the prophetical books of Holy 
Writ was at this time the means of great comfort and 
encouragement to him ; and the extensive and accu- 
rate knowledge of these parts of Scripture for which 
he was afterwards conspicuous, was then chiefly ac- 
quired. It was his uniform practice, from his first 
commencement in trade, to close his shop during the 
hours of worship on week-days; and though this 
must have required a strong exercise of faith, at a 
time when his future support seemed to depend on 
his assiduity and exertion, he was never satisfied to 
neglect the worship of Almighty God from the pros- 
pect of any outward . advantage ; and he has often 
expressed his belief that a blessing had rested on 
this sacrifice of apparent interest to duty 



DANIEL WHEELER. 51 

In the year 1800 lie was married to Jane Brady, 
of Thorne — a union productive of mucli solid hap- 
piness to both. She possessed pre-eminently the 
ornament of a meek and quiet spirit^ which was 
happily associated with a degree of firmness and 
moral courage that enabled her to meet calmly, in 
after life, trials and difficulties of no ordinary kind, 
and led her cheerfully to unite in every step her 
beloved husband felt called to take, whatever sacrifice 
it might involve. 

. Daniel Wheeler was watchful to prevent his busi- 
ness from engrossing more of his thoughts than was 
consistent with his higher duties. Finding his trade 
to increase, and demand a closer attention than he 
felt satisfied to give, he thought it his duty to relin- 
quish a very profitable portion of it, and engage in 
agricultural pursuits. Farther impressions of duty 
led him entirely to give up the business he had so 
successfully established, believing that it would con- 
duce to his present peace and future well-being. 
"Not,'^ he says, ^Hhat I have acquired a sufficiency 
without doing something for a livelihood ; far from 
it. I have still a prospect of maintaining my family 
comfortably, with care and industry, leaving the 
event to Him who knows the thoughts and intents 
of the heart ; and though my income will be smaller 
than it is at present, my expenses will be smaller in 
proportion. I have no desire to accumulat-e riches 
for my children ; the blessing seldom attends it, and 
the baneful efiects thereof are too often visible even 
in our Society." 



52 MEMOIRS OF 

In connection with this important change, the 
following pious reflections are recorded : " Forasmuch 
as it has pleased Almighty God, in His unutterable 
mercy and great condescension, in so eminent a 
manner to rescue my soul from the paths of vice 
and inevitable destruction, it seems incumbent upon 
me, in gratitude for such an unspeakable favour, to 
endeavour, as much as in me lieth, to make all the 
return I am capable of; and, as much as possible, 
through His Divine assistance, to dedicate the residue 
of my days to so gracious and merciful a Creator. I 
have at seasons, for some years past, when it has 
pleased the Lord to humble me and make me sen- 
sible of my extreme unworthiness, been made willing 
to make a surrender of my life and my all to Him 
and His Divine disposal; and the query has often 
been raised in my heart, what shall I render unto 
the Lord for all His benefits towards me? As I 
have from time to time endeavoured to dwell near, 
and abide in and under, the calming influence of His 
power, I have been led to believe, that something 
sooner or later would be required as a sacrifice on 
my part; and having for a considerable time past 
been fully convinced, not only from my own feelings, 
but from impressions made upon my mind by divers 
testimonies borne by exercised Friends, of the neces- 
sity of separating myself as much as may be from 
the world and from the things of the world; and 
having felt the force of our Lord^s declaration on the 
Mount, ^Ye cannot serve God and Mammon,^ I am 
sensible that the time is at hand for me to put into 



DANIEL WHEELER. 58 

practice what I believe to be an indispensable duty. 
After having experienced such a wonderful and 
great deliverance from the power of sin and Satan, 
even as a ^ brand plucked out of the burning/ it 
cannot be supposed that the remainder of my life 
ought to be spent in the hurry and bustle of busi- 
ness of any kind, and particularly in one which has 
so much increased as to require more attention than 
I am capable of paying to it, even if I had no claims 
of a higher and more important nature to attend to. 
I have frequently thought, of late, that taking an 
active partner might answer the end intended, and 
be a means of removing part of the weight and care 
from off my shoulders, and at the same time set me 
at liberty to attend distant meetings, and take exer- 
cise in the open air, which my health very much 
requires ; but having given this a solid consideration, 
I have found that it would only be doing things by 
halves, as great responsibility and anxiety would still 
rest upon me : it would seem also like making a re- 
serve of the best of the sheep, and the best of the 
oxen, the bleating and lowing of which would be 
continually in my ears.^^ 

For a number of years, the impression was strong 
upon his mind, that he should be called to the work 
of the ministry; but, in connection with this feeling, 
he was long harassed with doubts and fears. He was 
not rebellious, but his faith was weak ; he earnestly 
desired to have indubitable evidence that such was 
indeed the will of his Lord and Master; but He who 
knew the sincerity of his heart, graciously conde- 
5* 



54 M E ]M I R S F 

scendedj in His own good time, to leave him without 
a doubt on this important subject. He underwent 
deep baptisms of spirit; indeed, such were his men- 
tal conflicts, that his health materially suffered. In 
referring to this circumstance at a subsequent period, 
he remarked to a friend, that he regarded it as an 
especial blessing to him ; for sometimes he slept lit- 
tle, and frequently his nights were spent in prayer ; 
at other times, prayer being his last engagement pre- 
vious to consigning himself to sleep, he found in the 
morning, to use his own expression, his ^^mind still 
covered with the same precious influence. I think,^' 
he added, '' I at that time knew in measure what it 
was to ^ stand continually upon the watch-tower in 
the day-time, and to be set in my ward whole 
nights.' ^^ His mind at this time appeared to be 
particularly impressed with the feeling of the great 
uncertainty of time ; so that he has been heard to 
acknowledge, that for months together he seldom lay 
down in bed without endeavouring to commit his 
soul into the hands of the Lord, feeling it very un- 
certain whether he should be permitted to see the 
morning's light. In reference to this period, a dear 
friend remarks : " Of that time, and of many months 
previous to his appearance as a minister, my recollec- 
tion is very clear. We were then confidential friends, 
and often together; and during the lapse of years 
that has intervened, I have frequently reverted to it. 
The exercise which then attended him almost bore 
down the natural cheerfulness of his disposition ; he 
was so serious^ so humble^ so watchful^ lest at any 



DANIEL WHEELER. 55 

time lie sliould be thrown off his guard in the free- 
dom of conversation; and lest he should dissipate 
the influence of that heayenly love and goodness 
which often filled his mind^ and led him into holy 
covenant with his Lord. He one day took me to a 
small field nearly surrounded by trees, on the south 
side of his house, where he told me he was accus- 
tomed to retire alone, at an early hour of the morn- 
ing and late in the evening, and often at noon, when 
at home — thus adopting the resolution of David, 
^Evening and morning and at noon will I pray:^ 
the spiritual communion he witnessed there, and at 
many other times, would strengthen him, no doubt, 
in his earnest endeavour to perform the will of his 
Divine Master. Yet it was only from his deportment 
that I judged my dear friend to be under preparation 
for the work of the ministry. He spoke of that 
exercise to no one ; and when our friend Sarah Lam- 
ley, who visited families in Sheffield in the summer 
of 1813, and, in the sitting with his family, told him 
she was sensible that he was called to that important 
work, his dear wife heard it with extreme surprise.^^ 
Sitting in meeting on one occasion, he was parti- 
cularly impressed with the language of our Saviour 
after he had cleansed the leper: ^ Were there not ten 
* cleansed, but where are the nine ? I tell you there 
are not found that returned to give glory to God, save 
this stranger.' The remembrance that he had ever 
read such a passage in the sacred volume was entirely 
obliterated from his mind; he thought he felt the 
requisition of duty to address it to the meeting, but 



56 MEMOIRS OF 

he was perplexed ; he knew not at the time where it 
was to be found ; he gave way to reasoning, his de- 
pendence not being simply on the Lord alone ; and, 
in great distress of mind, he allowed the meeting to 
break up. He hastened home, and, opening his 
Bible, the first passage that met his eye was : ' Were 
there not ten cleansed,^ etc. He was deeply affected ; 
he entered renewedly into covenant with the Lord, 
that if He would be pleased again to visit him, he 
would be more faithful ; and when again he felt the 
requisition, he was strengthened in much brokenness 
to comply. A sweet and inexpressible feeling of 
peace was mercifully permitted to follow this sacri- 
fice, confirming to his mind that it was indeed a 
sacrifice prepared of the Lord. In the year 1816 
he was acknowledged as a minister in the Society of 
Friends. 



DANIEL WHEELER. 57 



CHAPTER V. . 

PROSPECT or DUTY IN RUSSIA — GOES TO PETERSBURG 

INTERVIEW WITH PRINCE GALITZIN AND THE EMPEROR 

ENGAGES WITH THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT TO SUPER- 
INTEND AGRICULTURAL IMPROVEMENTS RETURNS HOME 

AND AGAIN EMBARKS FOR RUSSIA WITH HIS FAMILY 

WILLIAM ALLEN AND STEPHEN GRELLET. 

Through what appeared very plainly to be a 
Divine guidance, tlie thoughts of Daniel Wheeler 
had been turned towards visiting Eussia. For years 
it had rested on his mind that he would be required 
to go abroad ; and while one day pacing up and down 
in his parlour, he was led to cry earnestly to the 
Lord to point out the place where He would have 
him to go. One of his children was at the time 
putting together a dissected map, and as his father 
looked at it his eye rested on Petersburg, with such 
an intimation that thither his Divine Master would 
send him, that he never afterwards doubted. 

The impressions which induced him to give up his 
trade and become an agriculturist, assume, in con- 
nection with what is now to be related, a striking 
interest. In this occupation he had succeeded so 
well as to excite the admiration of the neighbour- 
hood in which he resided. His practical skill de- 
monstrated that his talents in this direction were of 
a superior kind. 



58 MEMOIRS or 

In 1814 tlie Emperor of Russia visited England, 
and was much struck with the perfection of the 
English system of farming. A visit to the farm of a 
Friend, on the Brighton Road, particularly impressed 
him. Several years after his return to Russia, he 
determined to drain and cultivate a large tract of marsh 
and waste land near Petersburg, and wrote to Eng- 
land for a suitable manager, expressing his wish that 
he might be a member of the Society of Friends. 

The information being received by a Friend of 
Sheffield, he at once concluded to consult Daniel 
Wheeler respecting it. To his great surprise, he 
perceived the decided impression made by the intel- 
ligence, which was increased the next morning by 
D. W. calling to say that for two years past he had 
been preparing for this situation, and that he had 
decided to offer himself for it. 

In a paper subsequently addressed to an official 
person in Petersburg, we find the following account 
of this remarkable intimation of the Divine will, in 
his own language : 

''Eighth Month, Uth, 1817. 

It seems altogether unnecessary to preface what 
I am about to state in this memorial, seeing that the 
truth never did and never will need any apology. I 
shall therefore proceed by observing, that it is now 
two years and a half since the subject of visiting 
Russia, and rendering myself useful in promoting 
the happiness of its numerous inhabitants, was pre- 
sented to the view of my mind by that inward prin- 
ciple of light and grace, a manifestation of which is 



DANIEL WHEELER. 59 

given to every man to profit withal^ in wliicli I be- 
lieve ; and Petersburg was the place pointed out to 
me as the scene of my operations. It was, I must 
acknowledge, a prospect at which I was ready to 
shudder ; for, although we may at times feel a will- 
ingness, and even profess it, to go with our Lord and 
Master into prison and unto death, yet such is the 
frailty and weakness of human nature, that when the 
trying hour cometh, like Simon Peter, we are ready 
to deny Him. But He, who is touched with a feel- 
ing and compassionate sense of our manifold infirmi- 
ties, I trust saw that it was not wilful disobedience, 
but human weakness ; and He who only knoweth the 
thoughts and intents of the heart, — yea, from whom 
^the darkness hideth not, but the night shineth as 
the day, — the darkness and the light [being] both 
alike to Him,^ — in adorable condescension and mercy, 
doth at seasons qualify his poor, dependent, humble 
followers, acceptably to breathe the aspiration, ' Lord^ 
Thou knowest all things ; Thou knowest that I love 
Thee.^ However, I must honestly confess, that at 
the time I could not possibly devote myself to such 
an undertaking; for I am certain, that no earthly 
consideration whatever could have induced me to 
leave my beloved wife and tender children ; but He 
who ^bloweth with His wind, and the waters flow^ — 
at whose touch the mountains of opposition melt 
down and vanish — hath by His wonder-working 
power reduced my mind to a willingness to go, 
whensoever and wheresoever He is pleased to lead; 
and to do whatsoever He is pleased to call for. 



60 MEMOIRS OF 

Some time after this, as I was returning home late 
one evening, I had a sense of inyitation after this 
manner: ^What if the Emperor of Russia should 
want a person for the superintendence of agricul- 
ture ? ^ — at which time a willingness was begotten in 
my mind to go, if that should be the case; but when, 
or in what manner, this was to come to pass, was 
totally hidden from me. The frequent conflict of 
soul I had to pass through, none can conceive or 
have an idea of, but those who have been alike cir- 
cumstanced 'j all which was permitted in infinite wis- 
dom, for the subjection of the natural will, and is 
what I verily believe all must pass through, before 
they can in sincerity of heart say, ^ Not my will, but 
Thine be done/ 

In this manner I was prepared for this great event, 
and I cannot but record it, as a great and signal event 
in the life of a private individual ; for, when a letter 
was received from Russia by Richard Phillips of 
London, a copy of which was sent to a Friend in 
Sheffield, and by him handed directly to me, it did 
not create any surprise, as I was in a state of prepa- 
ration to receive it, and in daily expectation of some- 
thing important coming to pass/^ 

A visit, preparatory to the removal of his family 
to the vicinity of Petersburg, was made by Daniel 
Wheeler towards the close of the Sixth month, 1817. 
At this time he was introduced to the Prince Galit- 
zin. . . . ^^Por this interview,'^ he says, ^^I had 
little time to spare for preparations, but had not many 
to make, having no clothes but what I landed in, my 



D A N I E L W H E E L E R . Gl 

luo'O'ao'e liaving: been detained at the custom-house. 
I was accordingly conducted to the splendid mansion 
of the Prince, the entrance and marble staircase of 
which were well lined with attendants; in whose 
countenances surprise and anger were evidently de- 
picted, at my assurance in keeping on my hat. We 
waited a short time in an open gallery, as the Prince 
was engaged ; and took a turn into a spacious room, 
the walls of which were hung with pictures of all 
the imperial family of Russia, from the first to the 
last. In a short time a messenger came to say that 
the Prince was at liberty; when w^e were ushered 
into his apartment, of ample size. The Prince came 
forward, and met us in a very courteous manner; 

and on introducing me-, he took me by the 

hand, and we retired to the back part of the room, 
and sat down at the end of a writing-table. He 
asked many questions, with great affability, in Kus- 
sian ; my companion interpreting betwixt us. Amongst 
others, he inquired what family I had, which being 
answered, he wished to know whether I would bring 
them all with me, if I came to reside in Russia. I 
said, ^Yes; I should not leave a hoof behind;^ at 
which he seized my hand, and expressed his satisfac- 
tion. He then inquired how I should do, as there 
was no place of worship for me, no meeting, no 
society — how was that? I told him the worship of 
Almighty God was not confined either to time or 
place; that it is neither in this mountain, nor at 
Jerusalem; but in every place incense should be 
offered to His name, and a pure offering. After 
6 



62 MEMOIRSOF 

pausing a little, lie desired the sentence miglit be 
thoroughly explained to him. He then seemed quite 
to understand it, bowing his head in a reverent man- 
ner, and appeared to ponder over it. In the midst 
of this, I found my mind drawn into silence; but 
the Prince kept asking question after question, as if 
afraid of losing time : my answers were now very 
short; and at last I endeavoured to explain to my 
companion the situation I was in, but could not make 
him understand me. The conversation then turned 
to agriculture, and the soil of the neighbourhood, 
and to the Emperor ; but as a burden still remained 
with me, I cannot recollect all he said, or what an- 
swers I made him. At last, we rose from our seats 
as with one accord ; but before the Prince had time 
to bid me farewell in his way, I found my time was 
come ; and I was enabled to declare unto him the 
everlasting foundation, — even Christ Jesus, the rock 
of ages, — who was ' to the Jews a stumbling-block, 
and to the G-reeks foolishness ;^ but to them that 
obey His gospel inwardly revealed in the secret of 
their hearts, Christ crucified, the power of God, and 
the wisdom of God unto salvation. As I stopped at 
the end of every sentence, my companion interpreted, 
as if he had been accustomed to the work, and might 
have known what he was going to do. After we had 
finished, we stood like statues for a short time ; and 
on my moving, as if I was at liberty, the Prince took 
me by the hand, saying : ' Although our languages 
are difi*erent, the language of the Spirit is the same.^ 
He held my hand till we got near the door, when I 



DANIEL WHEELER. 63 

bade him farewell, and departed, comparatively as 
lio:lit as a feather. I cannot but admire how I was 
guided ; for in delivering what was upon me to the 
Prince, at the end of every sentence all was taken 
from me, as if I should have nothing farther to say; 

but when had had sufficient time to interpret, 

then a supply was again vouchsafed. Whereas, if I 
could have proceeded, as it were, without stopping, I 
should have overpowered the interpreter, and the 
work would have been marred altogether. Thus the 
blind are guided in ways that they know not, and in 
paths that they have not seen ; but truly the pillars 
of my tabernacle were mightily shaken. May I ever 
be preserved in that humility through which alone 
the grateful heart can bless His holy name, ' who re- 
deemeth our lives from destruction, and crowneth us 
with loving kind^ess and tender mercies !^ ^' 

A few weeks later, he received a message that the 
Emperor was prepared to meet him at the lodgings 
of the Prince. He was conducted, at the appointed 
time, with much ceremony, to the apartment of the 
Emperor, who took him by the hand, and invited him 
to be seated. '' I was not, however,^^ says D. Wheeler, 
'' quite ready to sit down ; for the salutation arose in 
my heart of ^ Grace, mercy, and peace be multiplied 
from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, 
upon the noble Emperor,^ etc. As I proceeded, I 
took off my hat, and the Emperor stood quite still 
until I had finished, when we both sat down. He 
had several questions to ask, and expressed his sur- 
prise and satisfaction at the manner in which I had 



64 MEMOIRS OF 

been led into Eussia. He mentioned my memorial, 
and I think touched upon every particular head dis- 
tinctly, and said he agreed to the whole. I then 
gave him a paper I had ready in my pocket-book, 
which brought the peculiar principles of our Society 
into view: this he read, and questioned me about all 
of them, which gave time to clear myself fully — I 
had a good deal to say to him on silent waiting — I 
remember my last words were the expression of a 
desire that attended my mind, ' that when time shall 
rob thee of thy earthly crown, an inheritance incor- 
ruptible and undefiled — a crown immortal — may be 
thy happy portion/ He held my hand fast in his for 
some time, and did not utter another word/' 

Haying entered into an agreement with the Em- 
peror, Daniel Wheeler returned to England to make 
the necessary preparation ; and embarked again for 
Eussia, with his family and assistants, in the Sixth 
month of 1818. After a favourable voyage, they 
landed, and were soon after settled in the habitation 
provided on the banks of the river Neva, in the 
vicinity of Petersburg. During the next long and 
darksome winter, they were often cheered in their 
lonely dwelling by the visits of William Allen and 
Stephen Greilet, who were then engaged on a reli- 
gious mission to Eussia, and remained several months 
in Petersburg, being there diligently occupied in 
promoting the introduction of scriptural instruction 
into the public schools, under the sanction of the 
Emperor Alexander. 

In a letter to a Friend in England, D. Wheeler 



DANIEL WHEELER. 65 

Bays respecting tliem : " They have had a narrow 
path to tread in, yet are well satisfied with their 
labours here, though they have been in a different 
way from what is customary with those who move on 
such errands; they have truly been led in paths that 
they knew not, and in ways they had not seen, to 
their own admiration, and to the praise of the great 
and excellent Name. They left us ten days ago, 
with minds full of peace, beloved and regretted by 
all who had the happiness to become acquainted with 
them. The stream of gospel love which was at sea- 
sons permitted to flow, when channels were open to 
receive it, has made, I believe, an impression on the 
minds of some which will never be obliterated, and 
which has clearly evinced ' whose servants they are.' 
They were, I think, of all men the most fit to move 
in such a work, in such a place, and under such cir- 
cumstances. I saw them set off from the city just 
at the edge of dusk, in a covered sledge, in the midst 
of a heavy snow-storm.^' 



6 



66 MEMOIRS OF 



CHAPTER YI. 

AGRICULTrRAL IMPROVEMENTS — ADDRESS TO BALBT MONTHLY 

MEETING CONFERENCE ^\1TH. THE E3IPER0R GREAT 

FLOOD AT PETERSBURG DEATH OF THE EMPEROR, AND 

ACCESSION OF HIS BROTHER NICHOLAS. 

During the spring and summer of 1819^ great 
progress was made in tlie improvement of the waste 
and marshy lands placed under the care of Daniel 
Wheeler. By skilful drainage and cultivation they 
were gradually covered with luxuriant crops. The 
Emperor and Empress visited them^ and expressed 
their gratification. One who was asked about their 
improvement said : ^^ If the Lord had not given the 
man wisdom to do it^ it would have been a morass 
still.^^* 

•^ These lands consisted chiefly of certain parcels in the 
immediate vicinity of Petersburg, the cultivation of which 
to private enterprise appeared impracticable, on account 
of their barrenness, or their marshy nature. At the time 
of D. AYheeler's departure, in 1832, about three thousand 
English acres were in full cultivation, on part of which fif- 
teen farms had been established, varying in extent from 35 
to 105 acres each. About 2700 acres more had been drained, 
the cultivation being either left in other hands, or was in 
progress when D. AV. resigned his appointment. Besides 
the improvement thus effected in the neighbourhood of the 
capital, the most satisfactory evidence of the utility of the 



DANIEL WHEELER. 67 

It was the custom of tlie country to hold their 
principal markets on the First day of the week. 
Against this practice Daniel Wheeler made a decided 
stand, and would not suffer any business to be trans- 
acted on that day by those under his control. Meet- 
ings for Divine worship were regularly held on First 
and Fifth days; and, by correspondence, he continued 
his connection with the monthly meeting of Friends 
in England (Balby) of which he was a member. 

The following is selected from one of these ad- 
dresses to Balby Monthly Meeting : '' The trumpet 
has often sounded amongst us, my dear friends ; but 
the alarming sound of late waxeth stronger and 
stronger; sufficiently so, I trust, to arouse those who 
have long regardlessly heard it. I would fain dismiss 
this painful subject, but in attempting to do so, sad- 
ness covers my mind, and fear begins to show itself, 
lest I should be found wanting in my duty to any, 
if such there are, who have long been neglecting the 
great business of their lives, and, instead thereof, 
pursuing with avidity those things which perish with 
the using. Alas ! what will be the situation of these 
in a day tliat is fast approaching, when the heavens 
shall depart as a scroll when it is rolled together ; 
when every false delight will appear in its true 
colours, and nothing will be left for the poor mind 
to rest upon, not so much as a small island in the 

undertaking has been afforded by the extensive adoption 
of various implements and methods of culture heretofore 
unknown to Russia, and by the consideration which agri- 
culture and rural economy in general had obtained. 



68 MEMOIRS OF 

midst of this sea of perplexity and trouble — not 
a single act of dedication to the Lord's righteous 
cause of Truth, upon the earth to reflect upon, when 
those things that have occupied the heart will serve 
only as memorials of past folly. Let such be en- 
treated by one who long hovered on destruction's 
brink, and who hath known the terrors of the Lord 
for sin and disobedience ; and under a sense thereof, 
is now most earnestly desirous that others may take 
warning, and thereby shun the fatal snares which 
keep the soul in bondage and in darkness. Let such 
be persuaded to seek the Lord ^ while he may be 
found/ and endeavour to redeem the past and pre- 
cious time, — to acquaint themselves with God, and 
be at peace, — to come to the knowledge of Him in 
the secret of their own souls, who is ^ the way, the 
truth, and the life,^ — whom to know is life eternal ; 
who willeth not the death of a sinner, but that all 
should repent, return, and live. Then let me beseech 
you, in the love of Him who died for us and rose 
again, for the peace of your never-dying souls, to 
accept the gracious invitation, ^be ye reconciled to 
Grod,' before it be too late, and the things that belong 
to your peace are hid for ever from your eyes. 

There is another class to whom my attention is 
now turned, for whose best welfare I feel an affec- 
tionate and tender solicitude; in whose hearts the 
babe immortal hath been mercifully begotten, creating 
therein new desires and breathings after soul-sustain- 
ing food ; whose spiritual eyes are in a good degree 
opened to behold the beauty and excellency that 



DANIEL WHEELER. 69 

dwell in the everlasting and unchangeable Trutli. 
To you^ my dear Friends^ many of whom are young 
in years^ my heart and pen are now directed^ ear- 
nestly desiring your preservation in the alone path, 
that most assuredly leads to peace in this world, and 
in that which is to come ; may nothing be suffered 
to turn you aside therefrom, but may you be strength- 
ened stedfastly to contend for the like precious faith, 
which was once delivered to the saints — that inesti- 
mable gift of Grod, that life of the just, that sub- 
stance of things hoped for and evidence of things 
not seen, ^without which it is impossible to please 
God,' and of which Christ Jesus is not only the holy 
author, but the blessed finisher. Here let us make a 
pause, lest any should spend their precious time, that 
treasure of eternal consequence, in vain. This most 
necessary and heavenly gift cannot be obtained from 
man, nor from the doctrines of any set of men. 
What saith the great apostle ? — ^ Faith cometh by 
hearing, and hearing by the word of God.' Have 
not all heard ? Yes, verily, the blessed sound hath 
gone forth from sea to sea, from shore to shore, and 
from the river to the uttermost ends of the earth. 
But let none be misguided by an imposing appella- 
tion given, I sometimes fear by design, to the Holy 
Scriptures, styling them ^the Word of God.' Al- 
though the Holy Scriptures are replete with the 
most sublime truths — the book of books, wonderfully 
preserved from the earliest ages of time, ' given by 
inspiration of God,' and ' profitable for correction, for 
reproof, for instruction in righteousness^ that the man 



70 MEMOIRS G F 

of Grod may be perfect, tliorouglily furnished unto all 
good works/ and ' are able to make wise unto salva- 
tion/ — ^yet let us mark wbat follows, — it is ' tbrough 
faith which is in Christ Jesus/ For some of you 
this explanation may not be needful, but for me it is 
safe. Faith cometh then by that all-creative Word 
which was with the Father before the worlds were ; 
^ all thing's were made by Him, and without Him was 
not any thing made that was made' — who in the 
beginning changed the wild chaos, when it was with- 
out form and void, into habitable earth — ^who spake, 
and the worlds were made ; and it is by this Divine 
Word alone that we must all be changed from a state 
of nature to a state of grace, and renewed again into 
the heavenly image that man was in before he by 
transgression fell. Behold then the Alpha and 
Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and 
the last, the root and offspring of David, the bright 
and morning star ! Behold the marvellous display 
of everlasting love ! the all-powerful, saving Word,^ 
the blessed medium by which faith and hearing 
come, is nigh in the heart and in the mouth, as 
saith the apostle. Search, then, my dearly beloved 
Friends ; seek, and I humbly pray the Father of 
mercies that you may be favoured to find. Be of 
good courage; humble yourselves before God; ask 
in the language of unceasing prayer, and you shall 
receive; knock, with earnest, faithful desires, and 
the door of boundless mercy shall be opened unto 
you. ' For every one that asketh, receiv-eth ; and he 
that seeketh, findeth ; and to him that knocketh, it 



DANIEL WHEELER. 71 

shall be opened/ Eemember it is on you that the 
weight of the law and the testimony must devolve, 
when the faithful standard-bearers of the present 
day are numbered with the just of all generations; 
and that on your example greatly depends the future 
bias of the tender minds of the dear innocent little 
children. In so doing you will not only be a bless- 
ing to them, but they will bring down a blessing upon 
you ; and the Lord Most High, in His infinite good- 
ness and mercy, will bless you altogether. 

With the salutation of that love which desireth 
the good of all, 

I remain your affectionate friend, 

D.W.'' 

Under date Tenth month 3, 1821, he says : " I 
had a conference with the Emperor a short time 
since, and was never so much satisfied with any pre- 
vious interview. He has passed through much con- 
flict of mind within the last twelve months; the 
state of political affairs, and many other trying cir- 
cumstances combined, have served to reduce him 
both in body and mind. A knowledge of his pecu- 
liar situation renders him, in my estimation, an object 
of commiseration and sympathy. Few, I am per- 
suaded, are really aware of the difiiculties by which 
he is encompassed, or of what he has to contend 
with; and when I consider the education he has 
had, and training up altogether, I am more than ever 
surprised that he should have any relish for serious 
things. He had been absent about ten months at 
the Congress ; and on my telling him he had been a 



72 MEMOIRS OF 

long time away from his large family, he said : ' I 
have had a great deal to do. It is a very difficult 
thing to act for a nation, but I hope I have acted 
under God, and the measures I have taken I hope 
are approved by Him. I am encouraged to believe 
so, because not a drop of blood has been spilled. 
When the nations were in great distress and suffering 
during the late calamitous war, they then prayed to 
God ; but they are like the Jews of old, they have 
now forgotten Him. There are societies of men in 
different places, who are disseminating bad principles 
under the cloak of bringing in Christianity : they are 
in many parts of Europe; they are every where.' 
I told him I had often thought of him, and that a 
petition had been raised in my heart on his account. 
' Yes,^ he said, ' and I have often thought of you ; 
there has not been one day, not one day, but I have 
thought of you and of Messrs. Allen and Grellet, and 
always felt myself united to you three in spirit.^ 

Previously to this conversation, we sat down in 
silence before the Lord; and in the course of our 
sitting, my mouth was opened to declare unto him 
the goodness of God, and His great mercy, variously 
displayed to the children of men ; and to speak of 
the precious promises which the humble heart only 
can sensibly partake of. After which, we continued 
our sitting until I had cleared my mind a second 
time; in this I had to recite the invitation of the 
dear Master, ' Come unto me, all ye that labour and 
are heavy laden,' etc. After having sat some time 
in silence, feeling myself at liberty, I told him my 



DANIEL WHEELER. 73 

mind was relieved ; when lie gave me liis hand, and 
attempted to describe his feelings, but was unable to 
utter any thing, except ' I have felt it,' laying his 
hand on his heart : I never saw him so brought down 
before. He stayed with us, I think, nearly three 
hours, and then left us in an affectionate manner, 
saying, ' I must leave you. I hope this is not the 
last time that I shall come ; remember me in your 
prayers/ I attended him to his carriage, and as 
it drove off he said, ^God bless youP Our large 
family Bible lay in one of the rooms ; on seeing it he 
opened it, and readily turned to the 119th Psalm, 
which he said he had read that morning. He had a 
copy of the Scriptures in the carriage, which he al- 
ways carries with him. My mind was so covered 
with sadness during the remainder of the day, and 
at intervals long afterwards, that my dear wife said 
she thought I must have said too little or too much 
to the Emperor. I told her, no; I felt satisfied as to 
that; but I could not help lamenting that such a man 
should be in such a situation. ^^ 

Sickness visited the dwelling of Daniel Wheeler 
in the winter of 1822-3. His wife and son con- 
tinuing to be invalids, it was determined, in the en- 
suing summer, that they should return for a time to 
England, accompanied by his daughters. This was 
a severe trial, ^^as in the bosom of my family,^^ he 
says, '' was to be found all that could afford me grati- 
fication or comfort. With them about me, I had 
every thing I could wish for or desire in this state 
of mutability. 
7 



74 MEMOIRS OF 

But I trust I have in some degree learned in all 
states to be content. There is — and, without any 
inclination to boast, I believe I may say I know there 
is — a soul-solacing presence to be felt in a retired 
and lonely mansion, as well as in a place where large 
assemblies crowd, which, unbounded and unlimited 
by time and space, extends to every clime, to every 
place, to every heart — and oh ! saith my soul, in 
humble prayer, may it be felt by us all ! That all 
our hearts may be so cleansed, so prepared and puri- 
fied from every defilement, as to be in constant readi- 
ness to receive the heavenly guest/^ 

They returned to Eussia in the Fifth month, 1824. 
In the Eleventh month of -that year there was an 
awful inundation at Petersburg, which is thus de- 
scribed : " On the 7th inst., the inhabitants of Peters- 
burg experienced the most awful visitation that has 
ever occurred within the memory of the oldest per- 
son living, by a deluge, which threatened for several 
hours the destruction of the city and suburbs. A 
dreadful tempest came on during the night of the 
6th from the south-west, and continued to rage with 
unabated fury nearly the whole of the next day. 
Two days previously, an unusual roaring of the sea 
had been noticed about the head of the Gulf of 
Finland, and at Cronstadt. On the morning of the 
7th, the sea began to rise, and shortly afterwards to 
push its waves into the heart of the city. The peo- 
ple at first supposed it would only be one of the floods 
which have frequently occurred, and manifested no 
particular alarm ; but before noon they became con- 



DANIEL WHEELER. iO 

vinced of the necessity of flying for their lives. The 
road we live on exhibited a scene of terror and dis- 
may not easy to describe ; every one anxious to save 
himself and his cattle. As our situation is somewhat 
higher than the city itself, we had many applications 
for food for the cattle, and shelter, which of course 
we were glad to comply with. Our neighbourhood 
was protected from sharing in the general calamity 
by the bank of the Ligofsky canal, which is raised 
above the regular surface of the country; but from 
the upper part of the house we could see over this 
bank, which discovered to us the city standing as it 
were in the open sea. 

The water continued to rise until three P. M., when 
the wind shifted to the north-west, and, although its 
violence continued, it prevented the water from rising 
any higher. At that time the water was twelve feet 
deep in the main street on Vasily's Island. Build- 
ings consisting of only one story were of course 
filled, and the frightened occupants obliged to take 
refuge upon their roofs. In the afternoon we made 
some attempt to go towards the city, but found it un- 
safe to try much farther than the bank of the canal 
just mentioned. The land under our care, between 
this and the city, was nearly all under water, so that 
we could hear nothing that night of the distress 
which prevailed there. 

By the morning of the 8th the water had subsided 
so much that it could only be seen about the low 
places ; in the afternoon I went off, intending to see 
how our friend Sarah Kilham had fared, but after 



76 MEMOIRS OF 

passing the barrier, I was compelled to return, as all 
the bridges were carried away by the force of the 
water. The 9th (a First day) arrived, and brought 
only our dear friend Thomas Shillitoe* to meeting, 
who, although he knew enough of the general suflFer- 
ing to prevent his speaking for a short interval on 
first coming into the room, yet knew almost nothing 
in comparison of what has since been unfolded. 
The part where dear Thomas lives stands pretty 
high, but in those streets the water stood only 
eighteen inches below the lamps. For three hours, 
a general silence prevailed in the city; and from 
Thomas Shillitoe^s windows, which command a view 
of four streets, nothing was to be seen but one poor 
struggling horse, and the police rowing about in boats 
to see where any assistance could be rendered. 

Our land, before hinted at, is covered over with 
timber, boats, dead horses, cows, barrels of fish, 
crosses from the grave-yards, parts of coiSins, and 
other articles, and, I regret to add, with many 
human bodies, drowned by this disastrous flood ; one 
is a female with a child under each arm, which she 
was endeavouring to save. 

It is now Third day night: I have been both 
to-day and yesterday in the city, and have heard 
such accounts of accumulated suffering as are ini- 
possible to be set forth. I fear the number of lives 
lost will amount to ten thousand, and the loss of 
cattle and property is estimated at 20,000,000 rou- 

■^ Then on a religious visit in Russia. 



DANIEL WHEELER. 77 

bles (£800^000 sterling). Whole squadrons of cavalry 
horses were drowned in their stables^ and many saved 
by being led up stairs. One Englishman, a horse 
dealer, has lost all his horses. 

When the water began to rise above its usual 
height in floods, the Emperor went in person, and 
ordered the sentinels away from the different posts. 
When the palace became surrounded by water many 
feet deep, he appeared with the Empress on. the bal- 
conies, encouraging the people to exertion, and offer- 
ing rewards to those who would endeavour to save 
life, wherever he saw any particular danger; by this 
many were saved who would otherwise have been in- 
evitably lost. A subscription has been begun to-day 
for the benefit of the sufferers, to which the Emperor 
has given 1,000,000 roubles (£40,000 sterling); and 
he has ordered the military governor to take care that 
the poor people are furnished with food. Yesterday 
it was difficult to procure bread, as the bakers' ovens 
were mostly deluged by the water ; to-day there is a 
supply. All the sugars at the custom-house are 
melted, and all goods that will damage with water 
are spoiled. The shops in many places were full up 
to the ceilings : oats which have been under water 
in the stores are selling at two and three roubles 
(from 20 to 30 pence) the chetvert of five English 
bushels. The inhabitants and houses of three vil- 
lages near the Gulf are, with their cattle, said to be 
entirely swept away. The Emperor has been to-day 
to several places, where the greatest suffering has 
occurred, to devise relief for the people. 
7* 



78 MEMOIRS OF 

However affecting tliis visitation may appear, I 
cannot but view it with a liope that it may yet prove 
a blessing in disguise to those that remain ; and I 
very much desire that it may have its proper and 
lasting effect upon all our minds, that so all may 
repent, and turn unto Him with whom is mercy and 
plenteous redemption, lest a worse and more terrible 
warning should follow. There is, I think, reason to 
fear that another woe will succeed that which has 
now passed over — I mean the occurrence of pestilen- 
tial disorders, which the dampness of the houses may 
bring on, particularly if intense frost should succeed 
before they are in some degree dry and aired : last 
night it froze hard; at present there is less frost, but 
with the appearance of more snow. 

Our friend Sarah Kilham is likely to suffer less 
than we feared, although her furniture was floating 
in her parlour. Her day scholars were in the house 
when the water rose, so that she was obliged to lodge 
them as she could. 

We scarcely know what to conclude about our 
friends at sea, as so much depends upon the situa- 
tion of the different ships : we hear that some have 
been wrecked, and others have returned to Cronstadt. 
This island has been entirely under water. 

In the midst of the general distress, we have been 
permitted to partake of peace and quietness, of which 
we seem altogether unworthy. I sometimes fear we 
are not making an adequate return for the numerous 
comforts and blessings we enjoy; and were it not to 
acknowledge with gratitude the loving-kindness and 



DANIELWHEELER. 79 

mercy wliicli surrounded us, I should willingly omit 
saying any thing about ourselves; all belonging to us 
seem to shrink into nothingness when we behold the 
surrounding scene of woe and misery/' 

Near the close of 1825, the Emperor Alexander 
died at Taganrog, in the south of Russia. His close 
appears to have been a peaceful one, and the hope 
was entertained that he had exchanged an earthly 
crown for one immortal, that will never fade away. 
He had reigned nearly twenty-five years. The Rus- 
sians say he was too mild, too good for them. The 
Grand-Duke Constantine having renounced the crown, 
his brother Nicholas was proclaimed Emperor. 

These changes do not appear to have altered in 
any respect the position of Daniel Wheeler; and the 
extended circle of operations soon after rendered it 
needful for him to remove to Shoosharry, a more 
distant and lonely place, on the margin of a great 
bog, his son William remaining to overlook the work 
in the neighbourhood of his former residence. 

Here they seldom saw the face of any visitor; 
but, he says, '' notwithstanding the dreariness of our 
abode, I should be deficient in gratitude if I were to 
omit saying that to myself it is a peaceful retreat. 
We have been here about four months, and I do not 
recollect having been permitted to enjoy so much 
solid peace and comfort since my lot has been cast in 
this land, as hath been at seasons graciously vouch- 
safed within the wooden walls of our solitary man- 
sion; and I believe my wife has partaken equally 
with myself in this comforting and precious privi- 



80 M E M I R S O F 

lege. I often feel a longing desire that a path would 
clearly open, which would lead to a peaceful depart- 
ure from this our exile ; but I trust that such a desire 
is never cherished^ or dwelt upon, without being ac- 
companied by a willingness to submit, in humble 
resignation, to the Divine disposal of Him who knows 
what is best for us ; who knows our frame that we 
are but dust, and who pities our weakness. If I 
know my own heart, no earthly motive, no plans for 
the future, induce a desire to be released from this 
country; but I do most earnestly desire that the re- 
mainder of my days, whether many or few, may be 
devoted to the glory of God, and the exaltation of 
my dear Redeemer's kingdom in the hearts of man- 
kind.^' 



DANIEL WHEELER. 81 



CHAPTER VII. 

VISITS ENGLAND — RELIGIOUS SERVICE RETURNS TO RUSSIA 

CHOLERA AT PETERSBURG ADDRESS TO YORK QUAR- 
TERLY MEETING — RESIGNS HIS APPOINTMENT IN RUSSIA 
SAILS FOR ENGLAND. 

In 1830 the health of his wife having again failed 
considerably, it was advised that she should pass the 
ensuing winter in England. He concluded to ac- 
company her, and while in his native land applied 
for and obtained a certificate to visit, on a religious 
account, parts of Devon, Cornwall, and the Scilly 
Isles. 

One of his meetings, during this visit, was with a 
congregation at Devonport, almost entirely composed 
of persons connected with the seafaring life, and 
their families. " My heart,^^ he says, " was greatly 
enlarged towards them, as companions and shipmates 
in the voyage of life; having the Lord God, merci- 
ful and gracious^ and abundant in goodness and 
truth, for our Commander; and an all-sufficient 
Saviour and Holy Redeemer for a heavenly pilot, 
who would never leave His vessel, but would safely 
conduct us through all the dangers and difficulties 
of time, and would remain with us through the 
never-ending ages of eternity. Towards the close I 
had to call the attention of the meeting to myself, 



82 MEMOIRS OF 

as an example for their encouragement, that none 
need despair; for in me they might behoki a living 
monument of the Lord's everhisting mercy, and the 
triumph of Divine grace over human nature in its 
most depraved state; in one who, Hke themselves, 
had been cradled on the ocean — whom the everlast- 
ing Arm had ofttimes been stretched out to save, 
when the briny wave had nearly prevailed against 
him/' 

Their return to Eussia, in 1831, was under the 
most appalling circumstances. The cholera had ap- 
peared in a most virulent form at Petersburg and 
its vicinity. The air, as they approached the coast, 
was evidently tainted by the pestilence, and the re- 
collection arose of the dear children they had left, 
to whom they dared look only with a trembling hope 
of a2:ain beholdimr them in life. A remarkable cir- 
cumstance was permitted to cheer them. The cap- 
tain of their ship had been told, shortly after they 
sailed, that D. AVheeler had regularly arrived in 
Eussia on one particular day. As the wind long 
continued contrary, there seemed at this time no 
probability of it ; and he sneeringly told D. W. that 
his calculation had for once fliiled. Soon after, a 
strong and fiwouring gale sprang up, which continued 
increasing in strength, bearing on the noble vessel 
with such speed, that they arrived on the very day 
named. The hardy captain exclaimed, in reference 
to this : '' There is nothing but the Almighty for it, 
at any rate!" "To me,'' says D.Wheeler, "this had 
a promising and strengthening effect; it was a pleasing 



DANIEL WHEELER. 83 

coincidence, bringing to remembrance many great 
mercies and favours in times that are past, but now 
signally to be commemorated with admiration, grati- 
tude, and praise to Him who ' commandeth the morn- 
ing and causeth the day-spring to know its place/ 
What could the possession of the whole world have 
done for us in this day of distress ? The ^ secret 
tabernacle of the Most High' was the only hiding 
place — the only pavilion of safety and refuge. I 
would gladly impart to my dear friends a share of 
the marvellous loving kindness and tender mercy 
which were so graciously displayed for our relief and 
consolation on this memorable day; but language is 
utterly incapable of conveying it — words cannot set 
it forth. I think that nothing short of being placed 
in an exactly similar situation could make it be felt 
and understood to its full extent. I cannot help 
craving that all my beloved friends were brought by 
any means under a similar state of feeling — not a 
mole-hill to rest upon, humbled in the dust. How 
softened every heart ! — how tearful every eye ! — 
the Lord alone exalted I This is what I want all to 
witness for themselves, that they may indeed witness 
the power of everlasting love to comfort and strengthen 
their hearts, and enable them to assert, in similar lan- 
guage with the great apostle to the Gentiles, and from 
the same heartfelt knowledge, ^ we glory in tribula- 
tion.' '^ 

On landing, a new law m relation to passengers' 
luggage made it needful for D. Wheeler to go to a 
particular department of the custom-house, where he 



84 MEMOIRS OF 

was accosted by a stranger with a letter^ who inquired 
if he was the person to whom it was directed. It 
proved to be from his son William, conveying the 
joyful intelligence that the children had wholly 
escaped the ravages of the awful disease/ which was 
then considered at its height — one hundred and fif- 
teen having died that day in the small town of Cron- 
stadt, where they landed. 

When they reached Petersburg, instead of the 
dense crowd usually at the wharf, only three or four 
persons were to be seen, and not a single carriage 
for hire ; scarcely anybody was to be seen in the 
streets, and in some the grass was growing. Eight 
hundred were said to have died that day in the city. 
The ignorance of the people aggravated the distress. 
As the skill of the doctors was completely baffled, 
they were accused of being the authors of it. The 
rabble broke into some of the hospitals, and in one 
instance caused the death of the physician, by throw- 
ing him out of an upper window. The imprudent 
and arbitrary measures of the police increased their 
fury. Every person whom the officers suspected of 
having the complaint was forced to the hospital. 
One of the workmen of D. Wheeler was taken up, 
charged with having the disease. In vain he de- 
clared he was in perfect health ; he was taken to the 
hospital, and forthwith treated as a patient, but was 
released from his perilous position by the multitude 
getting possession of the hospital, when he availed 
himself of the opportunity of escape, and returned 
to his work. At one of the military colonies a 



DANIEL WHEELER. 85 

dreadful affray took place, arising from a similar 
cause^ in which the soldiers suspected their own 
officers : it is reported that a considerable number 
of the officers were killed. It really seemed as if 
the most trifling cause was enough ^to turn every 
man^s hand against his fellow.^ 

In the First month of 1832^ he addressed his 
friends of York Quarterly Meeting, in England, as 
follows : 

''Near Fetershtirg, First Month 25th, 1832. 

Under a renewed sense of the Lord's manifold and 
tender mercies, which, to His praise and to His glory 
be it spoken, have compassed us about ^as with a 
shield,^ since we last saw each other ; my soul feels 
bound thus to recognise the good Hand that has led 
us, and to salute my dear brethren and sisters in a 
feeling of that love which cannot change, earnestly 
desiring that ' grace, mercy, and peace, from God the 
Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, may be multiplied 
to them' — causing the hearts of the faithful to rejoice, 
and joy, gladness, and thanksgiving to abound amongst 
them. 

Although far separated from each other as to the 
outward, yet such is the glorious privilege of the 
least living member of the true Church universal, 
that nothing can separate or prevent us from stand- 
ing fast in the one Holy Spirit, striving together in 
one mind for the faith of the gospel, ' till we all come 
in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of 
the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the mea- 
sure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.' For 
8 



86 MEMOIRS OF 

assuredly^ my beloved Friends, a day of trial is ap- 
proaching, yea, hastening upon the nations, when 
nothing short of an individual, heartfelt knowledge 
of Him in whom we profess to believe, will stand 
unshaken by the storm. 

Great is the solicitude I feel on behalf of our 
highly-favoured religious Society, that it may be 
preserved immovable upon this its ancient and sure 
foundation, Jesus Christ — ' Christ in you the hope 
of glory' — which never did and never will fail 
those who in simplicity believe, and faithfully build 
thereon, nothing doubting. By diligently maintain- 
ing the watch in that holy light bestowed in redeem- 
ing love on every individual of the human race, the 
snares of the insidious adversary, although laid in 
the most insinuating manner, will be detected and 
broken ; the specious guise of a false religion itself 
will be penetrated. This has assuredly slain its 
thousands, who, dazzled and distracted by creaturely 
activity and excitement, have thus been corrupted 
from the simplicity that is in Christ. ^ Watch ye, 
therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted 
worthy to escape all these things that shall come to 
pass, and to stand before the Son of man.^ Blessed 
and holy injunction — never out of season — never 
more needed ! 

We may feel lamentably conscious of unworthi- 
ness, weakness, and incapacity, from our manifold 
backslidings, to come up ' to the help of the Lord 
against the mighty,' or to unveil the subtle workings 
of the mystery of iniquity to the sight of others 



DANIEL WHEELER. 8/ 

These feelings are painful, and how great is the need 
of circumspection under them, lest, in the impatience 
of our spirits, heightened as this too often is by the 
ill-advised example and counsel of those about us, 
we should attempt to stay the ark with unsanctified 
and unauthorized hands ; or lest we should counte- 
nance to our own condemnation willings and runnings 
on the part of those with whom we may stand con- 
nected, which, however specious in themselves, never- 
theless contribute most essentially and insidiously to 
promote the kingdom of anti-Christ, already, alas ! 
extensive in the earth. 

Frequently am I brought under appalling appre- 
hensions for us, as a people, sought out and chosen 
of the Lord • for, had we followed the footsteps of 
our honourable predecessors in religious profession, 
who bore the burden and heat of a day of deep suf- 
fering, in the faithful support, in their original 
brightness, of those principles which they trans- 
mitted to us, — the spiritual beauty of the gospel 
Church might have shone forth, even through us, 
with a splendour which the different professors of 
the Christian name could neither have gainsayed nor 
resisted. And it is awfully impressed upon my mind 
— I might almost say, it is given me awfully to 
believe — that if the ' world, and the things of the 
world,' which ^ are not of the Father,' had not stolen 
away our hearts from His love, the glad tidings of 
that gospel, which is indeed ' the power of God unto 
salvation,' would, long ere this, have been proclaimed 
in remote, in heathen portions of the habitable globe, 



88 MEMOIRS OF 

by instruments raised up from amongst us, duly pre- 
pared and clothed with the true baptising authority 
of the Lord Jesus, whose ^ inheritance is the heathen, 
and the uttermost parts of the earth His possession/ 
He alone can endue His messengers with ^ power from 
on high/ in His name to open the eyes of the spirit- 
ually blind, to turn them from darkness to light, and 
from the power of Satan unto God. Mark, then, the 
awful consequences of our short-comings as a people ; 
and let us tremble, lest God should visit our iniquity 
upon us, and the awful language should be sounded 
in our ears : ' The kingdom of God shall be taken 
from you, and given to a nation or people bringing 
forth the fruits thereof/ ^ Watch ye, therefore,^ and 
remember ^ and pray always / for ^ the time is come 
that judgment must begin at the house of God:^ 
what then ' shall the end be of them that obey not 
the gospel of God ? ^ 

' Fear, and the pit, and the snare are upon thee, 
inhabitant of the earth ! ^ from which nothing but a 
Saviour^s all-powerful arm can extricate and deliver. 
All are involved in the momentous consequences; 
yet it is an individual work, and admits of no delay. 
Then, dear Friends of every age and of every class, 
let us hasten to it in earnest ; let us ^ humble our- 
selves under the mighty hand of God,^ even to the 
state of little children, and turn inward to His pure 
unflattering witness, which cannot deceive or be de- 
ceived. Let us accomplish a diligent search, and 
patiently examine how far those indispensable condi- 
tions are submitted to on our part, without which 



DANIEL WHEELEH. 89 

none can follow the blessed Jesns. Where is that 
self-denial and the daily cross He enjoins ? Are we 
denying ourselves those gratifications of time and 
sense which nourish sin^ and keep alive in ns the 
evil propensities of fallen nature ? Have we taken 
up that daily cross^ and offered all to Him ' who died 
for us and rose again V It is not giving up this or 
that particular thing that will suffice — -a full surrender 
of the will must be made to Him, ^ whose right it is 
to reign/ Let none plead for disobedience in what 
they may think little things^ on the ground of their 
being so. If such they really are^ they are the more 
easily parted with; and our tenacity in wishing to 
reserve them assuredly indicates that they are of 
more importance in our practical estimation than we 
may be disposed to allow. Let no man deceive him- 
self — unqualified obedience is the necessary condition 
of discipleship. Without it we cannot be consistent 
followers of our Lord ; and if not followers of Him, 
we cannot serve Him, be where He is, nor learn of 
Him that meekness and lowliness of heart which 
draw down heavenly blessings and regard, and which 
He alone can bestow. 

As the sorrowful declension which has so marred 
the beauty of our religious Society, may be traced to 
departing from this heavenly indwelling principle of 
light, life, and love ; so our restoration to primitive 
purity can only be effected by returning unto the 
Lord with full purpose of heart, in the depths of 
humility and self-abasement — yea, my Friends, no- 
thing less than this will do. We must deny oUr- 
8* 



90 MEMOIRS OF 

selves, take up our daily cross, and follow Him who 
is ^toly, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, 
and made higher than the heavens' — ever mighty to 
save and to deliver; and who will deliver out of 
every distress the soul that in sincerity seeketh 
Him. 

Come, brother; come, sister; come, all my dear 
Friends; let no earthly consideration whatever be 
suffered to hinder this important work; for Hhe 
night is far spent, the day is at hand ; let us there- 
fore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on 
the armour of light,^ that we may no longer bring 
forth fruit whereof we are ashamed — for the end 
of those things is death — but that we may ^be 
strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might, 
to stand against the wiles of the devil/ ^ For we 
wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against prin- 
cipalities, against powers, against the rulers of the 
darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness 
in high places/ Let us ' pray always, with all prayer 
and supplication in the Spirit, watching thereunto 
with all perseverance;^ striving together in one mind 
for the faith of the gospel, even for that faith which 
worketh by love, purifieth the heart, and giveth vic- 
tory over the world. Thus shall we indeed be found 
with ' our loins girded about, and our lights burning, 
we ourselves like unto men who wait for their lord, 
that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open 
unto him immediately;' even unto Him who said, 
' Behold I stand at the door and knock ; if any man 
hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to 



DANIEL WHEELER. 91 

him, and will sup with him, and he with me/ Then 
' lift up your heads, ye gates ! even lift them up, 
ye everlasting doors I and the King of glory shall 
come in. Who is this King of glory ? The Lord 
of hosts. He is the King of glory/ 

In the love of the gospel, I remain your affection- 
ate friend and brother, 

Daniel Wheeler/' 

The time was now near at hand when D. Wheeler 
believed it to be his duty to relinquish his engage- 
ment with the Russian government. By the direc- 
tion of the Prince Galitzin, a certificate was ordered 
to be prepared in English, which was signed on 
behalf of the Emperor, for the satisfaction of his 
friends. The Prince parted from him with much 
affection, and stipulated that he should write to 
him, saying : '^ What is good for your soul is good 
for mine.'' 

The way was clearly seen and opened for his 
return to England; but, he says, ^^ without the 
slightest prospect of any settled residence there: 
from the impressions which have been sealed on my 
mind, by day and night, for many months past, very 
different scenes are open before me." His eldest 
son succeeded him in the management of the work, 
and he embarked for England in the Seventh month, 
1832. 

From the uncertainty attending his future move- 
ments, it was decided that his wife and family 
should remain for the present at their Russian 



92 MEMOIRS OF 

abode. In a letter dated on tlie passage he says : 
*^At times I feel as a lonely sparrow on tlie house- 
top, or as the rambling swallow without a home, 
and still only preparing to take flight for distant 
climes, while pressing onward farther and farther 
from all that I hold dear in this transitory' world /^ 



DANIEL WHEELER. 93 



CHAPTER VIII. 

PROSPECT OF A RELIGIOUS VISIT TO THE SOUTH SEA ISLANDS 

DEATH OF HIS WIFE AND SEVERE ILLNESS OF HIS 

CHILDREN DEATH OF HIS SON WILLIAM AND DAUGHTER 

JANE — PROSPECT OF RELIGIOUS SERVICE IN NORTH 
AMERICA. 

In the Ninth month, 1832, he attended Balby 
Monthly Meeting, of which he was a member, and 
informed his friends of the prospect which had been 
presented to his view of visiting, in the love of the 
gospel, the inhabitants of some of the islands of the 
Pacific Ocean, New South Wales, and Van Diemen^s 
Land. He stood up with the words : ' The cup 
which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink 
it V " Eventually,^' he says in a letter to his wife, 
" I laid the whole affair fully before the meeting : a 
very solemn and solid interval succeeded. I warned 
the meeting not to let affectionate sympathy bias their 
minds, and recommended that all should endeavour 
to sink down to the precious gift in every heart, that 
so a right judgment might be come to; seeing it was 
a subject in which so much was implicated, not only 
as regarded myself and the Society at large, but the 
Truth itself. At length a general expression of con- 
currence and near sympathy broke forth, from the 
head to the uttermost skirts of the garment, as the 



94 . MEMOIRS or 

ointment poured forth, wliicli draws down the hea- 
venly blessing. Many vocal petitions ascended on 
the occasion, as well as, I believe, universal mental 
ones. It was indeed a memorable day, and one in 
w^hich I most earnestly desire you may all be per- 
mitted to share, though far distant, through the in- 
fluence of that Almighty Power which is omnipotent 
and omnipresent.'^ A certificate was prepared for 
him, which was subsequently approved and endorsed 
by the Quarterly Meeting of York, and by the morn- 
ing meeting of ministers and elders held in London. 
As it is proposed to give an extended account of 
this visit, in the love of the gospel, to the isles afar 
off, in a subsequent part of this volume, no farther 
allusion will be now made to it, except to state that 
he embarked on the 13th of the Eleventh month, 
1833. 

The affecting reference to his feeling as a sparrow 
alone, which he made in a letter written to his be- 
loved wife on board the vessel, after what proved 
their final parting in this world, seemed as a fore- 
taste of that keen affliction he was soon to expe- 
rience. 

Whilst confined, in the First month of 1833, by 
indisposition at Earlham, he received the sad intelli- 
gence of the death of his wife and the serious 
illness of three of his children. Alluding to the 
gradual unfolding of these solemn tidings by a kind 
friend, he says : " Who can picture my distress and 
anguish of soul when the awful reality was disco- 
vered ? But the everlasting arms of mine Almighty 



DANIEL WHEELER. 95 

Helper were underneatli to bear me up, that the 
waves of affliction should not overwhelm beyond the 
decreed limits, nor infringe upon the margin of 
mercy and compassion. After a time I was enabled 
to say : ^ It is a bitter cup ; but I accept it at the 
hand of the Lord, for I am sure there is a blessing 
at the bottom of it.^ ^^ 

His children recovered ; and the following letter 
to two of them is touchingly descriptive of the Chris- 
tian resignation with which he endured this great 
bereavement : 

''First llonth 19th, 1833. 
My dearest Charles and Jane : 

When I quitted Shoosharry, I thought I 

had given up much; and when fairly away from 
Cronstadt, I seemed to have parted with every thing 
in this world; but I have since sorrowfully found 
that there remained ties which bound the soul to 
earth, which were yet to be dissolved before the 
sacrifice was complete. The visitation was so unex- 
pected and sudden, that for a time every effort to 
bear up against the overwhelming reality seemed 
altogether unavailing. It is indeed a cup exceeding 
in bitterness all that had previously been handed, 
filling my heart with anguish, indescribable and 
irresistible. Yet, blessed be the name of the Lord 
God of heaven and earth for ever ! He who had 
commanded the storm was, in gracious condescen- 
sion and compassionate mercy, pleased to rebuke its 
raging billows, and to bear up my helpless head 
above them all, enabling me to glorify His holy 



96 MEMOIRS OP 

name ^in tlie fires' of this baptism of sufiering, to 
His own praise. And although the dispensation is 
altogether incomprehensible at present^ yet I firmly 
believe the merciful design of the Divine Will, as it 
is patiently abode under, will be more and more de- 
veloped to our understandings, and will not fail to 
raise in us a grateful tribute of thanksgiving. ' What 
I do, thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know 
hereafter -/ and I that we may all be found worthy 
to be entrusted with the heavenly secret, whether it 
be to be laid up in our own hearts, or to be declared 
to many. 

When I have been led to contemplate the suspense 
and anxiety which my long silence must have un- 
avoidably occasioned to your dear mother, when more 
distantly separated by mighty oceans, together with 
the expectation of my being amongst barbarous 
nations, and exposed to various hardships — how 
often have I desired that opportunities might occur 
for me to send, at frequent intervals, some even short 
account of my safety and preservation, that she might 
be comforted from time to time, and not be permitted 
to droop with hope again and again deferred! — feel- 
ing a willingness to suffer myself, and to trust her 
and my precious family to the tender care of our 
heavenly Father, though months and months might 
pass away without a probability of hearing of or 
from them, — if only they might be cheered and 
animated now and then with but a gleam. But 
whilst human nature deeply feels, and every chord 
of tenderness and affectionate remembrance vibrates 



DANIEL WHEELER. 97 

at the recollection of wliat we have all lost ; yet my 
goal doth secretly rejoice and magnify my good and 
gracious God^ in humble thankfulness, that her lamb- 
like spirit is now spared this painful dispensation, and 
that the suffering will be only mine ; and, mingled 
with many other tribulations which may yet await 
me, serve to fill up the allotted measure, in which I 
humbly trust I shall be permitted to glory, from the 
certain knowledge that tribulation worketh patience 
and experience and that hope ^ which maketh not 
ashamed^ nor afraid, ^because the love of God is 
shed abroad in the heart/ I think the finger of the 
Divine Artist may already be traced in the present 
afflictive dispensation, as regards us all, but more 
particularly in the effects which have already re- 
sulted both to thee and to dear Jenny, giving you 
to see, in a remarkable manner and in wondrous 
mercy, that every thing in this world is but vanity, 
and will most certainly end in vexation of spirit, if 
we have not an interest in the Saviour, and if desti- 
tute of that knowledge which alone can save. It is, 
therefore, my most humble prayer, that you may both 
endeavour to the utmost to keep near to that Power 
which hath so graciously opened your understandings 
to perceive His tender mercy and loving-kindness, 
which is better than life, in thus gathering your 
beloved mother into everlasting rest and peace, re- 
moving her from the troubles of time to the enduring 
riches of eternity, in holy quietness, because death 
had lost its sting and the grave its victory. I am 
very sure that you must both have had convincing 
9 



98 MEMOIRS OF 

proof of tlie necessity of seeking after an acquaint- 
ance with the precious gift of Grod^ which is so mer- 
cifully vouchsafed in measure by Christ Jesus in 
every heart ; and which is sufficient, if attended to, 
to restore every son and daughter of Adam from a 
state of nature to a state of grace, into the heavenly 
image from which man by transgression fell. 

I think you must both have seen how insignificant 
this world and all that belongs to it appear, when the 
pale herald of the grave hovers around us. Nothing 
short of that Divine power which thus showeth us 
these things, can prepare and purify us for an ^ in- 
heritance undefiled, and that fadeth not away;^ and 
be assured of this, that however homely this unflat- 
tering Witness may appear — though it seem but ' as 
a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground ^ — 
and when perceived there is no beauty to render Him 
desirable to the unregenerate mind; yet this, my 
dear children, is nothing less than a manifestation 
of the Spirit ^of the Lord of life and glory, which 
is given to every man to profit withal ;' and well will 
it be for us if we are profiting thereby, and faith- 
fully occupying therewith. This Holy Spirit hath 
long been oppressed and afflicted in all our hearts, 
whilst we have been employed in perishing pursuits, 
and altogether regardless of Him or his secret touches 
and reproofs, until perhaps cast upon a sick bed, or 
brought into a situation where His voice will be 
heard. It is to this power that we must be willing 
to turn, and it is by this power only that we can be 
saved; seeing it is the Spirit of Him our dear Re- 



DANIEL WHEELER. 99 

deemer, wliom ^ God hath highly exalted, and given 
Him a name which is above every name ; that at the 
name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in 
heaven, and things in earth, and things under the 
earth; and that every tongue should confess that 
Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of Grod the Fa- 
ther,^ either in mercy or in judgment. And ! 
saith my soul, that our confession may be to His 
wondrous love and mercy, and not in the acknow- 
ledgment of His just judgments for our hard-heart- 
edness and unbelief in the day of His visitation, 
wherein he would have gathered us ^ as a hen doth 
gather her brood under her wings,' and we would 
not. For true it is, that if we are willing to attend 
to this in-speaking, heart-searching voice, to turn at 
its reproofs, we shall find that they are full of in- 
struction, and the way to life everlasting. It will 
not fail to show us the deceitfulness of sin, the sin- 
fulness of sin, and the wages of sin^ which is death. 
As we patiently abide under the turnings and over- 
turnings of the Lord's hand thus upon us, however 
humbling and painful to the unsubjected mind, we 
shall indeed know the Saviour of the world in all 
His offices, not only as a convincer and reprover of 
sin through His Spirit, but as a purifier and cleanser 
from it ; and as the great work of regeneration gra- 
dually advances, our spiritual eye will at last be 
opened to perceive and to look on Him whom we 
have so long pierced, and to mourn in godly sorrow 
unto unfeigned repentance not to be repented of. 
Then indeed shall we bow to His name, which is 



100 MEMOIRS OF 

His power^ on tlie bended knees of contrition and 
self-abasedness, and be enabled from living and 
actual experience to say: ^I have beard of Tbee 
by tbe bearing of the ear^ but now mine eye seeth 
Tbee ; wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust 
and ashes/ Here then is ^repentance toward Grod^ 
and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ/ whereby 
we forsake sin, and believe in the efficacy of that 
power which alone can save from it. Then indeed 
shall we become willing to confess Him before men, not 
being ashamed to acknowledge His power and His 
might, nor afraid of being thought His followers by 
the votaries of a world which ^ lieth in wickedness ; ' 
but to boldly take up the cross — a daily cross to our 
own corrupt wills and inclinations — and follow Him 
whithersoever He may be pleaded to lead, remember- 
ing for our comfort and encouragement His gracious 
declaration : ' Whosoever shall confess me before men, 
him shall the Son of Man also confess before the 
angels of God ; but he that denieth me before men 
shall be denied before the angels of God/ This in- 
deed will be confessing to His name, in the belief of 
His power and in the hope of His mercy; and a 
bowing in earnest, in obedience to His holy will. 
But if, unhappily unwilling to bow the knee of our 
minds, we should stubbornly resist the offers of un- 
utterable love and mercy, refusing to confess with 
the tongue ^that Jesus Christ is Lord, by the ac- 
knowledgment of His power in our hearts to save, 
and by submissive obedience to it, in the way of the 
crosS; we shall one day find, to our indescribable 



DANIEL WHEELER. 101 

distress^ when it is too late, and the language is ut- 
tered : ^ He that is filthy, let him be filthy still/ 

But although it is with me thus to write, yet my 
prayers are incessant on your behalf for better 
things, even things that accompany life and salva- 
tion, that mercy and truth may meet together ; that 
righteousness and peace may kiss each other, in our 
heartfelt experience; which most assuredly will be 
the case, if the fault be not our own. We shall find 
that watchfulness, prayer, and fasting, are the Chris- 
tian's strength, his safe retreat, and never-failing 
weapons of defence ; even a constant watch over all 
our thoughts, tracing from whence they spring ; for 
thoughts are the origin of all our words and actions. 
As we thus maintain the watch, we shall soon begin 
to groan, being burdened with the frailty and help- 
lessness of human nature; which unavoidably, and 
happily for us, cannot fail to incite to prayer, though 
perhaps but in sighs and groanings which cannot be 
uttered; but which are accepted and recorded by 
Him who is a God ever hearing prayer, and who will 
in tender mercy strengthen us, if on our parts we are 
but willing to pray always, ' with all prayer and sup- 
plication in the Spirit, watching thereunto with all 
perseverance.' This will almost imperceptibly lead 
us habitually to fast from the gratifying things of 
time and sense, which do but serve, however insigni- 
ficant they may appear in the world's estimation, to 
prevent the sacrifice of the whole heart ; and as no- 
thing short of this will be accepted in the Divine 
sight, the enemy's purpose is still efiected. 
9* 



102 MEMOIRS OF 

I have craved in tlie tenderest manner for jon^ 
tlaat jou may hencefortli be preserved and strength- 
ened in faithfuhiess to resist those things^ whatever 
they be^ that were burdensome to yon when on a bed 
of sickness, the fruit of which is bitter indeed^ and 
productive only of shame, remorse, and anguish of 
spirit. Let the time past suffice, and the future be 
employed not in living to ourselves, ' but unto Him 
who died for us and rose again/ ^^ 

He returned to England on the 1st of the Fifth 
month, 1838. During his absence in the southern 
seas, he received the afflicting account of the death 
of his son William, who was left in charge of the 
agricultural concern in E,ussia. It is said of him — 
" That his life had been marked by watchfulness and 
prayer, and a conscientious regard to the pointings 
of Divine "Wisdom in the discharo-e of his relis^ious 
duties, as well as by an active and diligent attention 
to his concerns in business : his end was eminently 
crowned with peace, and an humble and confiding 
trust in redeeming mercy.^^ The account of his last 
days afforded his father great consolation and relief, 
and raised in his heart a tribute of humble thank- 
fulness to the great Preserver of men, who indeed 
^ loveth his own unto the end.^ 

His daughter Jane also finished her course, and 
entered into rest. The reception of this added sor- 
row was truly overwhelming for a time, yet he says : 
'^ The mercy and goodness of our heavenly Father 
soon changed the strain of sorrow into that of adora- 
tion and thanksgiving, binding up all the wounds of 



)Q 



DANIEL WHEELER. 10 

affliction in tlie healing virtue of His everlasting 
love; for lier end liad been truly peaceful; death 
was deprived of its sting, and the grave of its vic- 
tory. Thus the eldest and the youngest of my flock 
have been gathered, since we left them, into the arms 
of everlasting mercy, whilst we are left a little longer 
in this vale of tears. May the Lord most High be 
graciously pleased to prepare us also, in the like man- 
ner, for the heavenly kingdom V' 

Shortly after his arrival in his native land, he at- 
tended Balby Monthly Meeting, returning the certi- 
ficates granted him five years and a half before. 
After making a statement of his gospel visit to the 
southern isles, he informed his friends that he no 
longer stood before them as one returning, but as one 
requesting a certificate to enable him to visit various 
parts of North America. 

"While pressing forward through stormy seas to 
the far-ofi" islands of the Pacific, he had seen, in the 
unfoldings of the Divine Will, that after that service 
had been accomplished, another should be set before 
him to parts of the Western Hemisphere. By this 
his confidence in the Holy Author of his faith was 
strengthened, and he was supported in every season 
of trial and conflict. 

The certificate was prepared and sanctioned by 
York Quarterly Meeting and by the Morning Meet- 
ing of Friends at London. 

The drooping state of health of his son Charles, 
the faithful companion of his long journeyings, made 
the separation now required of him from his beloved 



104 MEMOIRS OF 

family more than ordinarily painful. ^^ Truly/' he 
says, " I had fainted if I had not believed, to see the 
loving-kindness of the Lord, and the greatness of 
His goodness which is laid up for them that fear 
Him, and that trust in Him before the sons of men/* 
In another place he says : " Though human nature 
keenly felt the separation from, and would gladly 
remain in possession of its greatest earthly treasure, 
yet I did believe I could not promote the welfare of 
my beloved family in any manner so much, as by my 
own faithfulness to what I apprehended to be the 
duty required of me/' 



DANIEL WHEELER. 105 



CHAPTER IX. 

SAILS FOR NEW YORK — ATTENDS MANY MEETINGS OP FRIENDS 

RETURNS TO ENGLAND DEATH OF HIS SON CHARLES 

AGAIN EMBARKS FOR AMERICA — ILLNESS AND DEATH AT 
NEW YORK. 

He embarked from Liverpool on tlie 25tli of 
Eleventh month^ 1838^ and arrived in New York on 
the 1st day of 1839. His journal records tlie at- 
tendance of many meetings among Friends in New 
York, New England, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and 
other parts. On one occasion, when the subject 
of meetings for Divine worship was brought to 
view, he says : " I had to declare, that if ever we 
suffered the righteous testimony to the teachings 
of that Divine grace which hath appeared to all 
men to fall to the ground, or be lowered by depart- 
ure from a silent waiting upon God for the blessed 
influence of the Holy Spirit, to enable us to wor- 
ship Him aright, — the glory would depart from 
our Israel, and nothing be left us but an empty 
name.''^ 

He also held public meetings in several seaport 
towns, in which he adverted to the great responsi- 
bility of those who had intercourse with the poor 
islanders of the South Seas. In one of these he 
delivered a message with which he had been charged 



106 MEMOIRS OF 

by Paofai and tlie principal chiefs of tlie island 
of Eimeo. ^^Gro/^ he said^ ^Ho Britannia^ and tell 
the people to have mercy upon us; and then go to 
America, and tell the people there to have mercy 
upon us; for it is these countries that send the 
poison (rum) amongst us/^ 

Daniel Wheeler returned to England in the Tenth 
month, 1839, a few months before the peaceful 
close of his beloved son Charles. On reaching the 
bed-side of the dear invalid, he says : '^ I found 
him apparently in a far-advanced stage of consump- 
tion. The peaceful feeling that pervades the atmo- 
sphere around him is, I humbly trust, an earnest 
that the arms of everlasting mercy are open to 
receive him when the awful change shall come/' 

He often spoke of his own unworthiness, saying 
that his only dependence was on the mercy of God 
in Christ Jesus, and on this he seemed to rest with- 
out a sense of fear. 

On one occasion he said to one of his brothers, 
^' Heed not the world, nor the things thereof; I wish 
I had heeded it less '/' and once in great bodily ex- 
tremity he exclaimed, ^^ Here is the end of pride I ^' 

He was frequently engaged in fervent prayer for 
patience and support for the pardon of all his trans- 
gressions, and a release in the Lord's time. Being 
asked just before his close if he felt peaceful, he 
replied, ^' I feel no fear.'' 

'^ On his placid countenance, some hours after his 
departure/' says his father, " I saw to my unspeak- 
able comfort that in the midst of death there was a 



DANIEL WHEELER. 107 

sweet angelic smile surpassing that of life ; its love- 
liness none can describe/' 

His death took place on the 6th of the Second 
month, 1840, and on the 30th of the Third month 
following, Daniel Wheeler again embarked for New 
York. When about a week at sea, he took a severe 
cold, which rapidly increased to an alarming illness, 
under the prostrating influence of which he landed, 
and was immediately conveyed to the house of a kind 
friend. Here he received the most unremitting and 
tender care, and after a few weeks there appeared to 
be some improvement. On the 6th of the Fifth 
month he received a visit from his beloved friend 
Stephen Grellet, which proved an occasion of deep 
interest. His mind seemed to overflow with admi- 
ration of the goodness of his dear Lord and Master, 
which had constantly attended him in his various 
pilgrimages. He recapitulated briefly what had oc- 
curred since he left America, alluding to the conso^ 
lation he received at the death of his beloved Charles, 
when he was made to rejoice in the midst of grief. 
He added : '^ The Lord is good to them that love and 
fear His name. Great things hath He done for me ; 
things so wonderfully marvellous, that they would 
hardly be believed were I to tell of them. If I 
have experienced any shortness in my journey Zion- 
ward, it has been on my side, not the Lord's ; for He 
has been faithful, and His promises have been and 
remain to be, yea and amen for ever. Whilst I was 
on shipboard, and thought by some of the passengers 
to be nigh unto death, how did the Lord appear for 



108 MEMOIRS or 

my help and consolation ! and since I tave been in 
this chamber, how has He appeared for my comfort 
in the night season ! and I have been enabled to sing 
hymns of praise and thanksgiving unto Him. When 
the ship made her soundings, I made my soundings 
on that Kock whose foundation is from everlasting to 
everlasting. I saw that I should be safely landed, 
though extremely weak in body; and I was enabled 
to say, should the Lord see meet to raise me up, and 
strengthen me still to show forth His wonderful 
works to the children of men, or cut the work short 
in righteousness : ' Thy will, God, not mine, be 
done.'' I do not see how the end will be.^^ 

On the 26th of the Fifth month he became more 
poorly, and continued after this rapidly to fail. On 
one occasion he was enabled to declare that " he had 
the same faith that had been with him through life, 
founded upon the gospel of Christ; and which 
enabled him to say, with the apostle : ' Nevertheless 
I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me ; and the 
life which I now live, I live by the faith of the 
Son of' God, who loved me and gave Himself for 
me.^^' 

For several days previous to his death, he took 
very little nourishment, as from the state of his 
mouth and throat he could not swallow without 
difficulty. On one occasion his attendant urging 
him, and saying she thought he stood in need of it, 
he replied: "I think not; and when there is need, 
my heavenly Father will enable me to take it, for 
there is not a pang I suffer but what is known to 



DANIEL WHEELER. 109 

Him; and I liave evidence that, though far from 
home and my native land, I am not forgotten/^ 

On the morning of the 12th of Sixth month, he 
appeared unusually feeble, though not apparently 
worse in other respects. He was wheeled into an 
adjoining apartment, as usual, and shortly after re- 
marked to one of the family who had affectionately 
watched over him, " Perhaps this day will end all 
your cares and troubles.^^ It was an unusual remark ; 
but as it was supposed to proceed from the feeling 
of present weakness, it did not excite any particular 
alarm. 

To some expressions of hope by a friend respect- 
ing his recovery, his only answer was an incredulous 
smile. One who had kindly waited on him, calling 
to take leave, as he was about to attend a distant 
Yearly Meeting, he said to him : '' Give my dear 
love to all my friends. God reigneth over all; His 
mercy and goodness have never failed me.^^ 

About eight in the evening, being offered some 
tea, he remarked that he could not see it; and it was 
evident his sight had failed. Shortly after he fell 
asleep, but his breathing was more laboured than 
usual. Being asked if he was comfortable, he re- 
plied in the affirmative, but soon after became 
entirely insensible, and gently passed away about 
half-past twelve at night, without sigh or struggle. 

He was interred at New York on the 15th of 
Sixth month, his funeral being largely attended, and 
proving a season of much solemnity. 
10 



110 MEMOIRS OF D. WHEELER. 

*' Farewell! 
And though the ways of Zion mourn 
When her strong ones are called away, 
AVho like thyself have calmly borne 
The heat and burden of the day, 
Yet He who slumbereth not nor sleepeth, 
His ancient watch around us keepeth; 
Still sent from His creating hand. 
New witnesses for Truth shall stand — 
New instruments to sound abroad 
The gospel of. a risen Lord ; 

To gather to the folds once more 
The desolate and gone astray. 
The scattered of a cloudy day, 

And Zion's broken walls restore ! 
And, through the travail and the toil 

Of true obedience, minister 
Beauty for ashes, and the oil 

Of joy for mourning, unto her! 
So shall her holy bounds increase 
With walls of praise and gates of peace: 
So shall the vine, which martyr tears 
And blood sustained in other years, 

With fresher life be clothed upon; 
And to the world in beauty show, 

Like the rose-plant of Jericho, 
And glorious as Lebanon ! " 

John G. Whittiee. 



VISIT 



TO 



THE PACIFIC ISLES 



(111) 



VISIT 



TO 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 



CHAPTER I. 

SAILS IN THE HENRY FREELING DETENTION OFF THE ISLE 

OF WIGHT — FAREWELL LETTER ARRIVAL AT RIO DE 

JANEIRO. 

The necessary arrangements for the voyage to the 
Soutli Seas having been completed^ Daniel Wheeler 
embarked on board the " Henry Freeling/^ a packet 
of 101 tons register. This vessel had been pur- 
chased and fitted up expressly for the purpose, 
through the liberality of a number of Friends. 

Accompanied by his son Charles, who believed 
himself called to this step " by that gracious Being 
who has an undoubted right to dispose of his crea- 
tures according to the good pleasure of His will/^ he 
sailed from the river Thames the 13th of the Ele- 
venth month, 1833. 

Severe storms and adverse winds detained them 
about four months near the Isle of Wight. Import- 
10* (113) 



114 VISIT TO 

ant advantages resulted from this detention. It ap- 
peared that the captain selected was not suitable^ and 
the delay enabled Friends to procure one who proved 
to be well qualified for the station. The discipline 
of the vessel was better ordered^ and the true cha- 
racter of the seamen understood before their final 
departure. This was the more necessary, as it was 
determined the voyage should be conducted on tem- 
perance principles ; that meetings for worship should 
be regularly held twice on the First day of the week ; 
and that, as far as was practicable, all work should 
be dispensed with on that day, to allow the sailors a 
portion of time to themselves. The Scriptures were 
to be read morning and evening in the cabin, where 
the captain and mate were expected to attend. 

These matters having been satisfactorily arranged, 
Daniel Wheeler, on the day previous to their final 
departure, addressed the following letter to the com- 
mittee who had assisted him in preparing for the 
voyage : 

^^ Henry Freeling, Ilother-hank, 14:th o/Sdmo. 1834. 
Upon reference I find that it is now considerably 
more than three months since I began a letter for the 
information of my dear friends, when at that time 
anticipating that ere long we should be permitted to 
direct our course across the trackless ocean to the 
Southern Hemisphere; but I had not completed 
more than half a sheet of paper, when the progress 
of my pen was arrested by circumstances which 
have prevented any farther addition being made 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 115 

until this day, when the way now seems to open for 
resuming the subject, our departure being at hand. 

Among the many multiplied mercies and blessings 
which unceasingly flow from the bounteous and com- 
passionate hand of Him who ^ crowneth the year 
with His goodness' and ^satisfieth the desire of 
every living thing/ I feel bound to acknowledge, 
with humble thankfulness and admiration, our long 
detention on these shores. Notwithstanding there 
have been many gloomy days, and da3^s of darkness, 
^as the morning spread upon the mountains,' and 
many long and dreary winter nights to pass through, 
when the raging storm has again and again whitened 
with foam the surface of the agitated deep around 
us; and not only the strife of elements to witness 
without, but a conflicting and spiritual strife within, 
tossed with tempest and not comforted;' yet how 
unspeakably great the faithfulness of our good and 
gracious Lord God ! ' His compassions fail not,' but 
have been, and still continue to be, ^new every 
morning,' as the returning day; for in moments of 
greatest conflict and trial there has been something 
permitted, like the ^bow in the cloud,' for the poor 
mind to look at, to animate, and cheer, and strengthen 
with hardness to endure and stand firm. 

But, although moon after moon hath waned, and 
faith and patience have been beset as on the right 
hand and on the left, and the afflictions of the gospel 
have at times been permitted to abound, yet to the 
glory and honour and praise of Him whose name, 
ever excellent and adorable, shall be great among 



116 Y I S I T T 

the nations, from the rising of the sun to the going 
down of the same, — the consolations of the gospel 
have also abounded, in a degree of the fulness of 
that heavenly blessing which makes truly rich, and 
whereunto no sorrow is added; when faith hath been 
mercifully strengthened, and patience renewed under 
the tribulations of the day. And notwithstanding 
an untrodden path has been my portion, yet after all, 
though weakness and fear are my constant compa- 
nions by the way, safety and peace have been hitherto 
found. I would therefore encourage ail my beloved 
friends to keep near to their heavenly Teacher and 
Leader, who, if faithfully followed, will not only 
conduct their steppings to a hair's breadth, but will 
preserve and keep the mind in calmness and sere- 
nity, securely, as in a pavilion, ^from the strife of 
tongues.' 

In addition to the marvellous loving-kindness I 
have thus endeavoured to portray, many other mer- 
cies and blessings have been showered upon our 
heads, during the apparently long and unaccount- 
able detention of our little bark upon our own 
coasts; these I have often had to number with 
grateful sensations, when the light has shone brightly, 
and manifested clearly to my finite understanding 
how much we should have missed, if our progress 
had not thus been arrested. So that with myself, 
instead of this delay having been productive of 
regret, or the cause of letting in fear or doubt, to 
stagger or depress my tribulated mind, I do, my dear 
friends, hail it with gratitude and thankfulness, as 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 117 

the gracious and compassionate dealing of my Lord 
and Master^ not only as a time of Divine favour and 
condescension^ but as an earnest of His love and. 
mercy for our encouragement^ instruction^ and future 
benefit^ graciously vouchsafed — a time of prepara- 
tion for the important work before us, and of wean- 
ing from every dependence and guidance which are 
not of Him, to strengthen our confidence, and put 
our whole trust in His power to help and deliver 
out of every distjess, who not only commands the 
storm, but at whose rebuke the mountain billows 
cease to undulate, and lo ! ^ there is a great calm/ 

Within the last two or three days the prospect of 
liberation has begun to dawn with clearness ; but I 
trust, that if even a farther detention should be 
meted out to us, either here or in some other port, 
the same resignation to the Divine will, will be 
vouchsafed ; for although I have for more than two 
years past felt anxious to move forward in a work 
which has yet to begin when the decay of nature is 
visible, and the shadows of the evening proclaim, as 
they lengthen around me, the steady decline of lifers 
setting sun, yet I have been frequently comforted by 
a renewed evidence that we have not yet been here 
one day too long. 

It will, I feel assured, afibrd my dear friends much 
satisfaction to know that the crew of the vessel, not- 
withstanding the frequent though unavoidable com- 
munication with the neighbouring shore for so great 
a length of time, have given no cause for uneasiness 
by improper conduct, and have at all times behaved, 



118 VISIT TO 

"witli scarcely an exception, in an orderly and agree- 
able manner; and the captain now provided for ns 
seems to be judiciously selected, and tlie man who, 
beyond all expectation, is admirably adapted to aid 
and assist, by example and experience, in the accom- 
plishment of the important object before us; so that 
I hope what has passed, and what may yet be in 
store for us to come, will be found and acknowledged 
to be among the ^ all things that work together for 
good/ I must not omit adding, that the solemn 
covering frequently witnessed mercifully to prevail 
and preside over us, when sitting together before the 
Lord, is worthy with humble gratitude to be com- 
memorated, as the strongest and most indubitable 
evidence for our encouragement, that at seasons ' He 
is with us of a truth/ 

As it is now a period of the year when ships 
seldom sail to those |)arts. to which we are destined, 
whether we proceed by the Cape of Good Hope, 
which is most probable, or by Cape Horn, in either 
case a wintry season awaits us ; but my trust is in 
the Lord, not doubting but that we shall have the 
privilege of the prayers of the faithful for our pre- 
servation; and though conscious of our own weak- 
ness and utter unworthiness, and often under a feel- 
ing of being less than the least of all my dear 
brethren and sisters that are alive in the unchange- 
able Truth, yet I think I can say that these things 
trouble me not, nor move me, neither count I my life 
dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course 
with joy, and the ministry which I have received of 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 119 

the Lord Jesus to testify the gospel of that grace 
^ which bringeth salvation, and hath appeared unto 
all men/ teaching all, that so from the uttermost 
parts of the earth songs of praise may be heard, and 
the grateful tribute of ^thanks be to Grod for His 
unspeakable gift/ may resound to His glory ; for it 
is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, 
but of God that showeth mercy : ^ it is not by might 
nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of 
Hosts/ 

And now, whilst my heart is bearing towards the 
^ isles afar off,' the same constraining love which 
wrought the willingness to leave all for my gracious 
Lord's sake and His gospeFs, extends its binding 
influence to all my dear brethren and sisters, of 
every age and of every class, wherever situated and 
however circumstanced; desiring, in tender and affec- 
tionate solicitude, that they may be found stedfastly 
following the footsteps of those honourable and 
worthy predecessors in the same religious profession 
with ourselves, who have long since rested from 
their labours, and whose memorial is on high ; who 
bore the burden and heat of a day of deep suffering, 
in the faithful discharge of their duty for the support 
of those principles which have been transmitted in 
their original purity and brightness to us. If any 
should feel sensible of having fallen short in this 
important work, let me in tenderest love encourage 
such to be willing to humble themselves under the 
mighty hand of God, even to the state of little 
children, and turn inward to the pure, unflattering 



120 VISIT TO 

witness whicli cannot deceive nor be deceived; to be 
willing to enter into a diligent and heartfelt search^ 
and patiently and impartially examine how far those 
indispensable conditions are submitted to on their 
part, without which none can be followers of the 
meek and lowly Jesus. Where is that self-denial 
and the daily cross he first enjoined ? Are we deny- 
ing ourselves those gratifications of time and sense 
which cherish and keep alive in us the evil propen- 
sities of fallen nature, which separate man from his 
Maker, and, like ^the little foxes, spoil the tender 
vines' designed in richest mercy to bud, blossom, 
and bring forth fruit, lastingly to remain to the 
praise and glory of the great Husbandman ? — but 
without faithfulness there will be no fruitfulness. It 
is not giving up or forsaking this or that little thing, 
which to part with is little or no sacrifice or privation, 
that will suffice ; a full surrender of the whole will, 
in all things, must be made to Him whose sovereign 
right it is to rule and reign in our hearts ; and let none 
plead for disobedience in these little things on the 
ground of their being such, for if such they really 
are, they are the more easily dispensed with, and not 
worth retaining; and a tenacity in wishing to pre- 
serve them assuredly indicates that they have more 
place in our afi'ections than perhaps we are aware of: 
' He that loveth father or mother more than me, is 
not worthy of me ; and he that loveth son or daughter 
more than me, is not worthy of me; and he that 
taketh not his crosS; and followeth after me^ is not 
worthy of me/ 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 121 

And noW; my dear brethren and sisters, ^ May the 
God of Peace, who brought again from the dead our 
Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through 
the blood of the everlasting covenant, keep all your 
hearts and minds, make you perfect in every good 
work to do His will, working in you that which is 
well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to 
whom be glory for ever and ever/ 

In the love of the everlasting gospel, accept this 
expression of farewell from your affectionate friend 
and brother, 

Daniel Wheeler. 

\bth of Third mo., 1834, at Sea, and clear of 
the Needle Rocks, all loelV^ 

They crossed the equator on the 21st of Fourth 
month, and, on account of the advanced state of the 
season, abandoned the intention of aiming for the 
Cape of Good Hope, and determined to put in at 
Rio de Janeiro for supplies of water, etc. 

The following are extracts from his journal: ^^ Fifth 
month, 10th. This afternoon at sun-set a brig was 
seen upon our lee quarter, steering the same course 
as ourselves, perhaps three or four miles distant 
from us ; she was soon covered up by the night, and 
no more thought of. Being upon the deck (an usual 
practice with me the fore-part of the night) between 
nine and ten o'clock, the carpenter suddenly ex- 
claimed, ' Why here's the brig ! ' Upon looking, I 
saw the vessel at a considerable distance from us, 
but soon perceived by the stars that she was ap- 
11 



122 VISIT TO 

proaching with uncommon rapidity in a most suspi- 
cious direction^ as if intending to cross our fore-foot, 
and cut us off. We watelied her very narrowly, 
expecting every minute she would open a fire upon 
us. She continued to haul directly across our head 
at a very short distance from us^ but we steadily 
kept our course^ without the slightest variation, or 
manifesting any symptoms of hurry or fear, or no- 
ticing her in any way. I felt our situation to be at 
the moment very critical, knowing that these lati- 
tudes, and particularly this neighbourhood, are ex- 
ceedingly infested with piratical vessels, which find 
shelter in the Brazilian harbours as traders, where 
they fit out occasionally for Africa with merchandize, 
and return with whole cargoes of oppressed Africans 
for sale, landing them on private parts of the Brazil 
coast : at other times they act as pirates, when it 
suits their convenience, or are in want of stores. 
This was indeed a trial of faith of no common kind; 
but my mind was stayed upon the Lord, feeling a 
good degree of resignation to His holy will, what- 
ever might be permitted to befall us. After watch- 
ing the vessel with anxiety for some time, she passed 
away, without making the least apparent stop. On 
considering the matter, we concluded that when she 
saw us at sun-set we were taken for a Dutch galiot, 
that might fall an easy prey to her ; but when she 
came up to us in the dark, near enough to examine 
with telescopes the real shape of our vessel, we were 
found of such a suspicious build of a nondescript 
kind, not seen before in these seas, as might lead to 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 123 

the supposition that we were intended as a decoy, 
and though very tame looking without, yet perhaps 
fiery hot within, if meddled with. From the posi- 
tion she took, there is no doubt she expected to 
throw us into confusion by firing into us, and then, 
in the midst of it, to have boarded us on the weather 
side. There was not the least glimmer of light to 
be seen on board of her, whilst the ' Henry FreeliDg' 
was well lighted up in both cabins and the binnacle, 
and the reflection from our sky-lights was well calcu- 
culated to puzzle and intimidate the crew, as this 
circumstance would be sufficient at once to shovf that 
we were not a common merchant vessel. The cap- 
tain, cook, steward, Charles, and myself, were all 
additional persons upon the deck, besides the regular 
watch, which would give an idea of strength to them, 
unusual in so small a vessel as the ' Henry Freeling.' 
Every thing was conducted with great quietness, not 
the least hint given to any one on board to prepare 
for an attack : the watch below was not even informed 
of what seemed to await us upon the deck. The Lord 
only was our deliverer, for she was restrained from 
laying a hand upon our little bark; and to Him alone 
our preservation is with gratitude and thankfulness 
ascribed. The crews of these pirates consist in gene- 
ral of desperadoes of all nations, who frequently 
commit the most dreadful atrocities on board the 
ships they seize, in putting to death all those who 
oppose their boarding them; they are mostly crowded 
with men amply sufficient in number to take and de- 
stroy some of our large armed traders. This vessel 



124 V I S I T T o 

was doubtless a selected one for the work ; we thought 
she actually sailed twice as fast as the ' Henry Free- 
ling/ which is far from being a slow vessel. We saw 
no more of her^ and after midnight I partook of some 
refreshing sleep. 

12th. Fine weather, with a fair wind all the day, 
and a prodigious swell of the sea from the south-east. 
The swell was so immensely large that we concluded 
that the summit of one wave was at least half a mile 
distant from that of another.^' 

On the 13th of Fifth month they arrived at Rio 
de Janeiro, and were obliged to submit to a quaran- 
tine of five days. On landing to procure such arti- 
cles as they needed, they unexpectedly met with two 
serious persons, both natives of Scotland, by whom 
they were invited to attend a religious meeting held 
every First-day evening. Daniel Wheeler acknow- 
ledged their kindness, and informed them that he 
could not then give an answer, but that if, after 
reflection, it appeared to be right, he would take care 
to be there in time. As the evening approached, 
feeling that the burden was laid upon him, he landed 
and proceeded to the appointed place. Here it was 
arranged that those assembled should go through 
with their meeting as usual, and at the close an op- 
portunity should be given to him to clear himself of 
the religious exercise he felt. At the conclusion of 
their meeting, his certificate from the Morning Meet- 
ing in London was read, and a solemn silence ensued, 
when Daniel Wheeler spoke as follows : 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 125 

" It had never been contemplated^ before leaving 
England, that we should have to touch at a place 
where bigotry, superstition, and slavery stalk un- 
masked with open face, particularly as it had not 
come within the range of the prospect before us. 
I acknowledged having mentioned to my son some 
days ago, that I thought our coming here must be 
for some object unknown to us at that time; but 
since we had been sitting together, I had found that 
the Lord had a seed even in this place that fear 
Him, and think upon His name ; and unto these, in 
an especial manner, my heart was enlarged in the 
love of the everlasting gospel — that love which 
would gather all mankind into the heavenly garner 
^of rest and peace. I had not proceeded much far- 
ther in the expression of a desire that their ^ faith 
might not stand in the v/isdom of man, but in the 
power of Grod,^ before I had to turn their attention 
to the solemnity so evidently spreading over us, as 
the crown and diadem of every rightly gathered 
religious assembly — a feeling not at our command, 
nor in the power of man to produce, and which 
could only be felt when the Great Head of the 
Church fulfils His gracious promise, ^ Where two or 
three are gathered together in my name, there am I 
in the midst of them.^ After this the way seemed 
fully opened, and a door of entrance also for the 
doctrines of the gospel in plainness and freedom. 
I had particularly to speak of the nature of true 
spiritual worship, and waiting upon the Lord, the 
necessity of knowing for ourselves the great work 
11* 



126 VISIT TO 

of regeneration to be going on — the true faith of 
the gospel as it is in Jesus, the Author and Finisher 
thereof; which worketh by love, purifieth the heart, 
and giyeth victory over death, hell, and the grave — 
stating that I had nothing new to offer — that ^ other 
foundation can no man lay, than that is laid, which 
is Jesus Christ^ — reviving the terms prescribed by 
Himself to those who would become His disciples 
and followers ; the ' poor in spirit ^ were reminded 
that to them the blessing appertains, and the king- 
dom belongs ; the woful sentence to the unprofitable 
servant was contrasted with that of the faithful 
occupier of his Lord's talents; the beauty, purity, 
and spirituality of the true gospel Church, and the 
necessity and practicability of becoming members 
thereof, while here on earth, was held up to view. 
Considerable brokenness appeared in some indivi- 
duals, and I believe it may be said that Truth rose 
into dominion, and reigned over all. For my own 
part, I never recollect being more sensible of such 
continued weakness and fear from the besrinnino- to 
the end — the creature was laid low, and I trust only 
desirous that all praise might be ascribed to Him 
to whom it belongs for ever. This was indeed a 
precious opportunity, and although not obtained 
without ploughing a furrow six or seven thousand 
miles in length, across the unstable surface of the 
ocean, yet the love, joy, and peace that remain, are 
a rich and ample reward. We reached our little 
bark in perfect safety, with hearts full of comfort, 
pretty soon after ten o'clock at night, while a torrent 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 127 

of rain was falling; tlie boat was manned by the 
natives of Africa^ now held in cruel bondage in tbis 
place; they are^ however, treated by us as fellow- 
men and brethren, and truly my heart abounds with 
love towards these poor creatures, not easily to be 
described/^ 



128 VISIT TO 



CHAPTER IT. 

SAILS FOR VAN DIEMEN's LAXI> — PERILS OF THE YOYAGE 

ARRIVAL AT HOBART TOWN — MEETS WITH JAMES BACK- 
HOUSE AND GEORGE W. WALKER. 

They left Eio de Janeiro on the 28tli of Pifth 
month^ and^ after a tempestuous passage of fifteen 
weeks, were permitted to arrive in safety at Hobart 
Town, Van Diemen^s Land. 

The following extracts from D. Wheeler's letters 
and journal give an impressive description of the 
perils they encountered on the passage. It was the 
wintry season in those southern latitudes, and rough 
weather was anticipated. 

'^ Sixth month, 2d. Since leaving the land, the 
winds have been so strongly opposed to our going 
round Cape Horn, as nearly to put that course out 
of sight ; to-day we are so far off the coast of South 
America as to be exposed to the swell of the great 
South Sea, which is no longer kept from us by a 
point of land which forms the projecting Cape; this 
swell is prodigious, and plainly shows the turbulent 
state of the weather in that quarter, and seems like 
a final settlement, and removal of any thing like a 
doubt in my mind as to our being in the right track 
at present. After midnight the weather became very 
rough, and the wind inclining more and more south- 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 129 

erlj, rendered our position in sailing very critical. 
Before four o'clock^ A. M.^ two heavy seas broke in 
upon us, one of wliicli stove in a part of the bulwark 
on the starboard side ; happily none of the watch on 
deck were washed overboard. From this time things 
got rapidly worse, and the only alternative now left 
was to bring the vessel to, with her head to the wind 
and sea, under suitable storm-canvass to maintain that 
position. In addition to the great risk attending at 
all times any circumstance connected with ' lying to,^ 
it was a position in which we had not yet tried the 
' Henry Freeling.^ It was not indeed an every-day 
occurrence for a small vessel, which we have had 
hitherto no opportunity of proving under more 
gentle circumstances, to be brought round against 
a sea which had nothing to control or break the 
range of its sweeping influence between her and 
the South Pole. Captain Keen manifested great 
coolness and ability on the occasion, and soon after 
day-break all things were ready to accomplish our 
intended purpose, to effect which an interval was 
waited for, until the blast should lull a little; and 
whilst much depended upon a timely reaction of the 
sails, so as to prevent the vessel from forcing herself 
with too great violence into the opposing waves, as 
her head came round towards them, at the same time 
it was indispensably needful to keep a sufficient 
quantity of canvass set, to guard against being over- 
taken and overwhelmed by the mountain waves, 
which in an awful manner were now threatening us 
behind. A few minutes relieved us from all sus- 



130 VISIT TO 

pense and anxiety^ and althougli heavy laden witli 
our newly recruited and increased stock of water, 
some of which encumbered the deck, yet we had 
the comfort to see the vessel rise in a lively manner 
to the surface of the loftiest billows, before any 
material quantity of their contents had time to 
burst over her. As the wind blew directly from 
an immensity of ice, a change so sudden, from the 
great heat we had so recently witnessed, to such a 
cold penetrating blast, was sensibly felt by all on 
board. 

Sixth month, 10th. Towards evening it again be- 
came stormy, with much rain; the sea breaking over 
us with great violence, scarcely any part, even below 
deck, could be preserved free from wet, and all our 
ingenuity was called forth to preserve our beds 
moderately dry. At times the weight of water 
seemed too much for our little bark to bear, from 
which she could scarcely extricate herself before 
another deluge burst in upon her deck. A state of 
desertion was my lot throughout the day, and al- 
though at seasons I was ready to say, ^ Lord, carest 
thou not that we perish ? ^ — yet I was not permitted 
in the darkest moment to cast away my confidence, 
although for many hours it seemed needful for us to 
stand prepared as with our lives in our hands, not 
knowing how soon they might be called for. At 
midnight the scene was truly awfulj the wind blew 
in a furious manner, and the sea raged with in- 
creased violence, with heavy falls of rain. The 
mercury in the marine barometer, which had been 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 131 

falling all the day^ became lower^ and the little vessel 
seemed to twist and bend beneath her heavy burden. 
At this moment of struggle and extremity, behold a 
shift of wind to the south-west^ which, instead of 
taking aback suddenly the little canvass we were 
scudding under (which might have produced conse- 
quences above all others the most to be dreaded), 
came regularly round; and the captain, availing 
himself of this moment, directed that the vessel 
should be ^hove to/ Captain Keen came to me 
shortly after this circumstance had taken place, to 
acknowledge how providentially this change had 
been ordered, being sensible of the favour thus gra- 
ciously bestowed upon us. 

Sixth month, 13 th. This date has not failed to 
awaken feelings of painful reflection in reference to 
days which have long since passed away, it being 
thirty-three years since it pleased the God of all my 
mercies to bestow a crown upon the head of a poor 
unworthy creature, even the rich blessing of a truly 
virtuous wife, at the close of a meeting at Doncaster. 
Full well at this remote period do I remember the 
solemn and delightful season with which we were 
remarkably favoured, from the beginning to the end 
of the meeting. Dear Thomas Colley appeared largely 
in testimony on the occasion, to the tendering of many 
present. It was indeed an earnest of the heavenly 
Master's love, which never ceased to follow us through 
all the vicissitudes of time, during a life, not a little 
chequered, for a term of more than thirty-two years 
and a half, when He was pleased to deprive me of 



132 VISIT TO 

my greatest earthly treasure^ and to take back ttat 
whicli He gave ; but it was His own^ I verily believe, 
even His, tbe same who enabled me to say, in the 
moment of my greatest distress, ^ blessed be tlie name 
of tbe Lord/ In looking over the different relatives 
and friends present on tbe above occasion, there is at 
this period scarcely one of those individuals, at that 
time about our own age, who now survives, and I find 
that many of them much younger than ourselves have 
been summoned from works to rewards : thus, whilst 
many of my contemporaries have finished their earthly 
career, I am still spared a little longer, a living monu- 
ment of the Lord^s everlasting mercy, for the pur- 
pose, I humbly trust, of declaring unto others what 
He hath done for my soul, and to show forth the 
praises of Him who hath translated me out of dark- 
ness into His marvellous light. And although the 
sacrifice I am making may appear great, and be ren- 
dered more formidable by the late hour in the even- 
ing in which it has to be offered, yet in my estimation 
it is small indeed, and light as the dust of the balance, 
when the love and mercy, long-suffering and compas- 
sion of my good and gracious Lord God are brought 
into remembrance, who hath redeemed my life from 
destruction, and crowned me with loving-kindness 
and tender mercies, to myself incomprehensible, and, 
I am persuaded, only known to those, in the same 
degree, whose sin is blotted out as a cloud, and 
their trangressions as a thick cloud, by repentance 
toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, 
who came into the world to save sinnerS; of whom 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 133 

each of us^ in the depth of self-abasement^ can say, 
' I am chief/ '' 

A narrow escape from shipwreck against the island 
Inaccessible is thus adverted to : 

^^ Sixth month^ 18th. As the day advanced, the 
wind and sea increased, and the fog was so dense 
close down to the horizon, that there seemed but 
little prospect of discovering the land at a sufficient 
distance to prevent our running directly upon it. As 
the afternoon wore away, the danger hourly increased ; 
but at this juncture the Everlasting Arm of strength 
and power, in wonted mercy and compassion, was 
signally displayed for our preservation and relief, 
and in such a manner as wholly to exclude the 
slightest pretence of mortal man^s having the least 
share in it. The mist cleared suddenly away ; and 
though but for a short interval, yet it was sufficient 
to discover a lofty, rocky island, about half a mile 
distant, standing nearly perpendicular out of the sea, 
far above the mast-head of the ^ Henry Freeling.' 
We soon perceived that this was the island called 
^ Inaccessible,^ and appropriately so, as, from its vast 
height and steep approach, no landing apparently, on 
the side next to us, could possibly have been effected. 
This seemed at once to relieve our anxiety, and the 
captain now considered all danger as past, and that 
we should safely run between this island and another 
called ^ Nightingale Island,^ although not able to see 
it on account of the fog, these islands being ten 
miles asunder. Thus cheered, we pursued our fly- 
ing course with great velocity, as the wind had in- 
12 



134 VISIT TO 

creased in violence soon after the high rocky island 
was first seen. But in another hour our prospect 
was suddenly clouded by the appearance of more 
rugged rocky land on the same side of us. This 
circumstance for a time staggered all our hopes, as it 
could not be accounted for ; and of course we knew 
not how soon some unknown lurking reef might 
wreck our fragile vessel^ which was scourged on by 
a hurricane blast with greater speed, it is probable, 
than at any previous time. In the early part of this 
suspense, Captain Keen said to me : ' Xow if your 
friends in England could look at us, they would have 
a better idea of the sacrifice you are making, than 
they at present possess.' But this would have con- 
veyed to them only a faint idea of what we have 
since had to pass through, and was only the begin- 
ning of those perils which in the end have been so 
abundantly crowned with wondrous mercy. In this 
situation, the niglit was gathering blackness and 
darkness in the midst of a heavy tempest. 

Sixth month, 22d. ^ Lying to,' as yesterday, the 
storm still raging with unabated violence, squalls, 
heavy rain, and lightning through the night. The 
sea having risen to a fearful height, has frequently 
inundated the deck of the vessel; and from the 
continual working of her whole frame, our bed- 
places have been unfit to sleep in, the water having 
found its way through numerous chinks. This morn- 
ing early, a heavy sea broke into us, bringing a larger 
quantity of water upon the deck than at any time 
before. To myself a very remarkable and striking 



THE PACIJFIC ISLES. 135 

event took place this morning. Shortly after the 
vessel had shipped a heavy body of water^ I went up 
the hatchway to look round for a short interval ; at 
that moment the seas were running in mountainous 
succession^ and I observed that some of the loftiest 
of the waves were very nearly prevailing against our 
little vessel; it seemed as if she could not much 
longer escape being overwhelmed by them altogether. 
I made no remark to any one^ but soon after we tried 
to get some breakfast; while so occupied, one of the 
men called down to inform us that there was a sight 
worth looking at on deck ; it was a large collection 
of a small species of the whale, close by the ship. 
I thought I should like to see them; there were 
perhaps more than two hundred of these animals 
close to us, about twelve feet long each. When I 
went upon deck after breakfast, they were still close 
to our bows, and the man at the helm said that they 
served as a breakwater for us; their being so was 
afterwards mentioned by some other person. At 
last my eyes were open to discover the protection 
they were affording our little struggling vessel; they 
occupied a considerable portion of the surface of the 
sea, in the exact direction between the vessel and 
the wind and waves, reaching so near to us, that 
some of them might have been struck with a har- 
poon ; they remained constantly swimming in gentle 
and steady order, as if to maintain the position of a 
regular phalanx, and I suggested that nothing should 
be done to frighten them away. It was openly re- 
marked by some, that not one sea had broken on 



136 VISIT TO 

board us while they occupied their useful post ; and 
when they at last retired^ it was perceived that the 
waves did not rage with the same violence as before 
they came to our relief. I give this wonderful cir- 
cumstance just as it occurred, and if any should be 
disposed to view it as a thing of chance, / do not, for 
I believe it to be one of the great and marvellous 
works of the Lord God Almighty. These friends in 
need, and friends indeed, filled up a sufficiently wide 
space upon two of the large swells of the ocean, com- 
pletely to obstruct the approach of each succeeding 
wave opposed to the vessel, so that if the third wave 
from us was coming in lofty foam towards us, by the 
time it had rolled over and become the second wave, 
its foaming, threatening aspect was destroyed entirely, 
reaching us, at last, in the form of a dead and harm- 
less swell. They are a very oily fish, but seldom 
larger than to yield about two barrels of oil; they 
are commonly called black fish. 

Sixth month, 23d. Still ^ lying to,^ sustained 
through another rough and perilous night, the win- 
try storm yet howling around us. We remarked, 
after having just passed the shortest day in this cli- 
mate, that our friends in England had returned 
home from the Yearly Meeting, and were enjoying 
the delightful days of summer at their greatest 
length. 

Sixth month, 26th. The tempestuous and turbu- 
lent weather which our little vessel has had of late 
to contend with so largely, the great length of voyage 
still unaccomplished^ at the most unfavourable season 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 137 

of the year, have frequently been a subject of serious 
thought; but more particularly from witnessing, since 
the last heavy gales, considerable and almost daily 
increasing leakage from different parts of the deck, 
owing to the great strain to which her upper works 
have been subjected, by the enormous weight of 
lumber, together with part of our stock of fresh 
water, upon the deck. After looking at the state of 
things on every side, and taking the different bear- 
ings of the whole into deliberate consideration, it 
seemed the most prudent measure, in the hope of 
contributing to the future safety of the vessel, and 
to enable her to perform the service looked forward 
to, in its fullest extent, to lighten her deck by 
launching overboard, on the first favourable oppor- 
tunity, every weight of spars, etc. that could be 
dispensed with. As this could not be done in rough 
weather, without the risk of injury both to the peo- 
ple and the ship, and there being less wind and sea 
to-day than for some time back, it was resolved, if 
possible, to accomplish it. Accordingly, four heavy 
logs, a spare square sail-yard (old), a heavy spar in- 
tended for a top-mast, with many other cumbrous 
weights, which tended to increase the weakness of 
the quarters of the vessel, were cast into the sea 
without accident. It is truly cause of regret thus to 
sacrifice articles which at a future day may be much 
needed ; but the necessity of endeavouring to relieve 
the present difiiculty and distress, compelled us to 
pass over that, which now can be looked at as remote, 
and may never occur. 
12* 



138 VISIT TO 

Seventli montli, 7tli. Stili ^ lying to:^ the storm 
has continued all nighty and the sea makes very 
heavy upon us. The mercury in the marine baro- 
meter sunk to 29 -30 J then rose a little, and again 
sunk lower in the tube. As the night advanced, 
the storm increased with awful violence. Captain 
Keen said his last voyage was forty-six months in 
length, but that he had never witnessed such a 
night during the whole of it. The strength of the 
wind was incredible, and the lightning appalling, 
with a fall of rain and sleet ; the sea broke in upon 
our little ship in an alarming manner. The poor 
men were lashed upon the deck w^ith ropes, to pre- 
vent their being washed away : benumbed with cold, 
and at times floating with the vast load of water 
upon the deck, their sufferings are not easily de- 
scribed. The bulwark on the larboard side was 
damaged, and the spray reached more than two- 
thirds up the main-mast. In the morning the sea- 
men expressed considerable discouragement, and I 
observed a disposition rather to make the worst of 
things. The captain said ^le hoped he should not 
see such another night in this vessel.^ One person 
did not expect she would have kept up until morn- 
ing. When assembled at the breakfast table, I had 
to tell them, with a degree of firmness, that a mur- 
mur ought not to be heard amongst us, but rather 
the expression of thankfulness that ^we are as we 
are.' On looking round at the ravages of the 
storm, I was surprised to find that so little damage 
was done; and the increase of pumping had been 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 139 

comparatively trifling to wliat might have been ex- 
pected, from the violent and frequent strokes of the 
sea, and the floods of water that had rolled over the 
deck of the vessel. 

In the darkest part of the night of the 6th inst., 
a distinct luminous appearance or glow of light re- 
mained at our mast-head — a phenomenon only seen 
in dreadful weather, when the atmosphere is highly 
charged with electric fluid. The sailors call it a cor- 
posant. The countenances of our men were consi- 
derably whitened this morning, by the great quan- 
tity of salt which, having been deposited by the 
constant wash of the sea, had dried upon their faces. 
In the coui-se of the storm yesterday evening, unusual 
darkness gathered round us, when suddenly the wind, 
which blew with great violence, increased to a com- 
plete hurricane, and roared in a terrific manner, and 
tor a while closely threatened our little vessel. The 
force of the wind was so great, that the waves for the 
time almost ceased to undulate, and the surface of 
the ocean became level and whitened with foam. At 
this juncture I was comforted in beholding the calm- 
ness and resignation with which my dear Charles was 
favoured. At one time he remarked : ^ What a pain- 
ful situation those people must be in, who have not 
a good reason for being exposed to similar distress, 
when they find themselves overtaken by it ! ^ I told 
him it was formidable enough even to those who felt 
themselves in the line of apprehended duty. As the 
night approached, another storm began to threaten, 
and the waves ran so cross, and broke in such differ- 



140 VISIT TO 

ent directions^ that the motion of the vessel for a 
time exceeded all we had before witnessed, and the 
waters rushed on board of her on every side. At 
ten o'clock, p. M., it was so tempestuous, that we 
again hugged the howling blast by ' heaving to : ^ as 
the vessel came round with her head to the wind, 
one heavy wave broke on board, but happily none of 
the crew were lost. In the afternoon, when it was 
thought that the storm had arrived at its greatest 
strength, this hope was suddenly extinguished by the 
mercury falling in a short space of time down to 
29-50. The captain said: ^We have done all we 
can ; trust in Providence only remains.' '^ 

The following extract proves the state of our dear 
friend's mind about this period : 

" Two or three days previous to this tempest, I 
felt much depressed on account of my Charles, he 
having drooped more than usual, from the effects of 
the cold weather : the great length of time we had 
already been the sport of the winds and waves since 
leaving the Rio de Janeiro, could not but excite a 
painful and discouraging fear lest his strength should 
prove unequal to the remaining part of the voyage, 
as we had only passed over about one thousand miles 
in distance, since beginning to traverse the margin 
of the Indian Ocean, and are still greatly annoyed 
by the strong currents and heavy gales which prevail 
from the direction of Madagascar, and are probably 
attracted down the Mozambique channel, which sepa- 
rates that island from the coast of Natal, on the 
south-east shore of Africa. But as the late storm 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 141 

approached, I felt, through unmerited favour, in- 
creasing peacefnlness and tranquillity, which nothing 
during its whole continuance was permitted to dis- 
turb ; and in the most awful moment of uncertainty 
and impending danger, fear had no place to enter ; 
this was utterly banished by the love of the ever- 
blessed blaster that flowed in my heart, and which 
in the true dignity of its heavenly power cast it out; 
and the lanorua^e which at intervals continued to 
prevail and occupy the inner man, with a soothing 
and encouraging sweetness, was that of the Psalmist, 
^ Delight thyself in the Lord, and He shall give thee 
the desires of thy heart/ Thus indeed was strength 
truly administered, according to the glorious working 
of His pov/er, unto all patience and long-suffering 
with joyfulness, to endure, and give thanks to the 
Lord Most High. I should shrink from making any 
remark on the state of my own mind whilst in the 
extremity out of which we have been so remarkably 
delivered, did I not feel called upon by a sense of 
gratitude to our compassionate Lord; at the same 
time a hope gleams through my heart, that it will 
tend to strengthen the faith of some hesitating and 
doubting fellow-travellers who may eventually peruse 
these lines, to ^follow on to know the Lord^ for 
themselves, and thus partake of His love, mercy, 
and life-giving presence, and be encouraged to for- 
sake all and follow Him, ' nothing doubting,^ wherever 
He may be pleased to lead; for the declaration, ^Lo! 
I am with you alway/ will assuredly be verified in 
their experience, and all earthly things will be esti- 



14:2 VISIT TO 

mated but as loss and dross^ in comparison with the 
excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus. 

Eighth month^ 4th. The weather very boisterous, 
although we were permitted to keep before the wind 
and sea. To-day we were escorted by an unusual 
number of birds, the albatross, cape hen, stormy 
petrel, etc. On the fifth we were compelled again 
to ' lie to,^ and this day, the sixth, we are again 
' lying to.' At three o'clock, p. m., we were assailed 
by a most violent tempest, with heavy falls of rain, 
sleet, and hail; the sea curled in an unusual manner, 
and, raging in opposite directions, our little bark 
seemed as if she could not long sustain the unequal 
conflict, as the wind kept increasing to a degree 
almost inconceivable, except to those who may have 
witnessed the hurricane with all its furious and 
angry growl. Every thing was done that could be 
devised for our relief, but all our efforts seemed 
overpowered and unavailing; and we could not 
wholly divest ourselves of an apprehension that she 
must eventually fill and founder by the lee with us 
at last, if the fury of the storm were not curbed; 
of this, however, there seemed no probability, and 
the approach of night served only to increase its 
horror and renew its force. In this situation, one 
would have supposed that no relief could have 
availed short of an abatement of the storm; but 
true it is, that an increase of its fury produced a 
circumstance which at once enabled our weather- 
beaten little vessel to rise with comparative ease to 
every opposing mountain-billow. At eight o'clock, 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 143 

P. M., the wind was so powerfully strong, that it 
blew our new storm-jib away from the duif or bolt- 
rope altogether. Every exertion was made to pre- 
vent the total loss of the sail, but it flapped with 
such violence as to shake the whole frame of the 
vessel, threatening destruction to all that came near 
it. At length it was lowered down into the water 
under the lee of the ship, where it was happily 
secured, but not without one man being hurt by it. 
For want of this sail, it was now feared that the sea 
would make a constant breach over our deck; but 
before another sail could be prepared to replace it, 
it was truly relieving to find that the vessel bowed 
to the seas, as they met her, in a much more lively 
manner without it, than she had done with it. 
Thus, in a very unexpected manner, was a way 
made for us to ride triumphant through the re- 
main dc^.r of the terrific storm, without any material 
injury to the vessel, beyond the loss of her bulwark. 
' This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and 
saved him out of all his troubles,' and to Him be 
the glory and the praise for ever. In the course of 
every storm which we had witnessed previously to 
the last, thunder and lightning had more or less 
accompanied them, sometimes in an awful manner, 
but more particularly the lightning, when forked; 
and although we left England without conducting 
chains, yet thus far not a flash has been permitted 
to harm us. By way of precaution, the pumps have 
at times been stopped up, to prevent their being 
split. Such favours I desire to record with thank- 



144 VISIT TO 

fulness^ and to number, them among the many bless- 
ings which have descended upon us from our hea- 
venly Parent, times innumerable/^ 

They anchored in the river Derwent on the 10th 
of Ninth month. In a letter from Hobart Town, 
dated 25th of Ninth month, 1834, accompanying his 
journal, Daniel Wheeler thus writes : "Though many 
of the storms and tempests have been enumerated, 
yet not one-half of what it has been our portion to 
witness, has been told to my beloved friends. It 
may suffice for me to say, that we have been com- 
pelled to seek refuge more than twenty times from 
the fury of the hostile elements, by ' lying to,' with 
the ship's head to the wind and waves ; and this has 
been resorted to only in cases of extreme danger/' 

It will be seen by the extract from the journal 
under date of 25th of Sixth month, that it appeared 
necessary to lighten the vessel by casting into the 
sea some heavy logs, etc. In the same letter Daniel 
Wheeler alludes to one of the sailors who, it appears, 
had been remarkably visited, and brought under 
feelings of deep condemnation, and who opened his 
mind to him in a letter. Of this man he remarks : 
^^ His obdurate heart was never softened, and sub- 
dued, and humbled, until after the last dreadful 
tempest, when the weight of his burden became so 
heavy as to constrain him to confession. I had per- 
ceived in his eye the anguish of his wounded spirit, 
but knew not the cause until he wrote to me. He 
had several times been in dano;er of beino; washed 
overboard; and once nearly fell from one of the 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 145 

yards when aloft; but these dangers were not suffi- 
cient wholly to bring down his stubborn heart. I 
think this one circumstance, independently of our 
(I trust) timely visit to Eio de Janeiro, cannot fail 
to animate the hearts of all our dear friends, particu- 
.larly such as have been instrumental in any degree 
towards promoting the great work in which we are 
engaged, and cause them to feel a lively participa- 
tion in that heavenly joy which welcomes the re- 
penting and returning sinner to his Father's house.^^ 

From a previous extract, it will be observed that 
Daniel Wheeler suggested that certain stipulations 
should be made with any person who might be 
engaged to take the command of the vessel : one of 
these was, that himself and mate should attend 
morning and evening, when the Holy Scriptures 
were read; this appears to have been attended 
to, and the sailors also enjoyed the privilege of 
hearing them read, at suitable times. From a 
paragraph in one of his letters, it appears that he 
had been careful to inform them that he did not 
consider such reading as a part of Divine worship, 
'' but that true worship is an act between man and 
his great Creator, and can only be performed accept- 
ably in spirit and in truth/' 

When the state of the weather permitted, meet- 
ings were regularly held on First and Fifth-days: 
those on First-days were attended by the ship's com- 
pany, and were, it appears, often seasons of favour, 
comforting and supporting the minds of these dear 
Friends under trials of faith of no common kind. 
13 



146 VISIT TO 

Whilst at this place they were rejoiced to meet 
with James Backhouse, a minister of the Society of 
Friends, from York, England, and his companion 
George Washington Walker. These Friends were, 
like themselves, engaged in the great and glorious 
cause of the gospel of life and salvation in those 
distant lands; and their joy was not a little increased 
by the opportunities with which they were favoured, 
of labouring unitedly to promote it. 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 147 



CHAPTER III. 

EMBARKS FOR SIDNEY — CREW OF THE HENRY FREELING — SAILS 

FOR TAHITI ARRIVAL AND INTERVIEW WITH THE NATIVES 

MEETING WITH THE MISSIONARIES. 

Having finislied their labours in Van Diemen^s 
Land, James Backhouse and his companion were 
prepared to accompany Daniel "Wheeler and his son 
to Sidney, at which place they arrived on the 20th 
of Twelfth month. Here they thought it right to 
appoint a public meeting for Divine worship, with 
the inhabitants — the first ever held there by Friends. 
It was, upon the whole, from beginning to end, a 
solid opportunity : James Backhouse and D. W. were 
largely opened in testimony amongst them. James 
Backhouse appeared a second time, and concluded 
the meeting in prayer. From the quietness and 
solemnity which reigned throughout the whole time 
of the meeting, it might have been supposed that 
the congregation assembled consisted wholly of per- 
sons accustomed to stillness and silence, instead of 
an audience of which scarcely an individual had 
ever before been present at a Friends' meeting, or 
was even aware of the manner in which they are 
usually conducted. But the glory was and is the 
Lord's. 

After the long and tempestuous voyage, it was 



148 VISIT TO 

pleasing to find^ on examination^ that no important 
repairs were required^ the vessel having been so 
well and substantially built. In reference to the 
ship's company^ it is very satisfactory to insert the 
following extracts : " With a little exception^ our 
sailors have exceeded my most sanguine expectations 
as to behaviour and conduct in general, but I think 
no men could have suffered more hardships from the 
weather than they have endured. For a time we 
gave them some wine, but whether from its becoming 
flat and vapid by washing about in the cask, when a 
quantity of it had been taken out, or with the 
change from cold to heat, and then to cold again, 
some of them declined drinking it, on account of 
its not suiting them, so that they had nothing but 
water for months together/' Again : '' It is a little 
remarkable that, although they have been sometimes 
wet, and in wet clothes, not for a day or two, but for 
a week together, when their teeth have chattered 
with cold, with no warm food, the sea having put 
the fires out, even below the deck, and the water 
filtering through the deck on their beds below, and 
not a dry garment to change, — yet not a single 
instance of the cramp has occurred amongst them, 
nor the slightest appearance of the scurvy, even in 
those who have before-time been afflicted with it, 
and still bear the marks about them ; and with the 
solitary instance of one man, who was forced to quit 
the deck for two hours during his watch, from being 
taken unwell, every man and boy have stood through- 
out the whole in a remarkable manner. They have 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 149 

been plentifully supplied with fresh provisions and 
vegetables since we arrived, and with some malt 
liquor also; but their character for sobriety and 
temperance, and general good behaviour, has war- 
ranted every reasonable indulgence likely to conduce 
to their health and welfare/^ 

The following extracts from Daniel "Wheeler's 
later letters^ give proof of their continued stabi- 
lity. 

^' First month, 21st. I have found the advantage 
of placing our sailors upon rather a different and 
more respectable footing than those of other ships ; 
and the result has been, so far, that we have had 
comparatively no trouble with them. It is so com- 
mon a thing for the shipping to lose their men here, 
that a few days ago the question was put to me by 
General Bourke, the governor : ^ Have you lost any 
of your men ? ^ and it is satisfactory to know that 
some of the strangers who have attended our meet- 
ings on board, have, in more than one instance, 
remarked (as if of rare occurrence) that our sailors 
look more like healthy, fresh-faced farmers, than 
men come off a long voyage ; the generality of those 
we see daily have a thin and worn-down appearance, 
particularly when they belong to ships that supply 
them daily with ardent spirits; while our sailors 
have each a quart of beer per day, of weak quality, 
being brewed, as is customary here, with only sugar 
and hops, both of which are very cheap.'' 

Daniel Wheeler adds : " I found it advisable to 
keep up a desire in the crew to make themselves 
13* 



150 VISIT TO 

acquainted with the art of navigation, and this could 
not be done without their being furnished with mate- 
rials for its accomplishment, such as quadrants, slates, 
pens, paper, etc.; and though the expense of such 
things ultimately devolves upon themselves, yet, at 
the moment of purchase, the advance of money has 
been unavoidable on my part/' 

It is highly satisfactory and encouraging to find, 
by letters from time to time received, that the sea- 
man who was so powerfully arrested by conviction 
of the error of his ways, continues to maintain his 
integrity, conducts himself with propriety, and has 
recently attended their meetings. 

James Backhouse also says on this subject: ^^It is 
pleasing to see the seamen of the ^ Henry Freeling' 
instructing one another in nautical observations and 
calculations : the carpenter is a good navigator, and 
since he became a steady man he has taken pleasure 
in instructing the other sailors, who appear to be 
improving in knowledge and conduct. They strongly 
exemplify the benefit of temperance principles on 
board ship. They are allowed beer when it is to be 
had, and as much tea, cofice, or cocoa as they like. 
There is no swearing to be heard, and the men have 
the appearance of comfort, and spend their leisure 
in improving reading, etc. Happily, neither the 
captain nor mate makes a foolish mystery about the 
course of the vessel, such as is common on board 
many ships, by which the sailors are kept in igno- 
rance, to no purpose, unless it be to enable the cap- 
tain and officers to puff themselves up with aii 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 151 

unworthy conceit of knowing more than those under 
them, and keep the sailors in a state of degradation 
inimical to good morals and conduct/' 

Second month, 22d, 1835. " To-day the weather 
is still beautifully fine; our invalids pretty much 
restored from sea-sickness, and, being the first day 
of the week, portions of the Holy Scriptures were 
read to the ship's company assembled upon the deck. 
During the time of silence in the morning, James 
Backhouse contrasted and compared the management 
of a ship at sea with the spiritual progress of each 
individual, showing the constant attention at all 
times necessary, in both cases, in order to be enabled 
to steer a true and steady course towards the great 
object of our voyage, both as regards an earthly and 
a heavenly port. The latter part of the forenoon we 
sat down together in the cabin ; towards the conclu- 
sion, I thought I was made sensible of a renewal of 
strength to wrestle for the blessing.'' 

They left Sidney on the 12th of Second month ; 
and James Backhouse being desirous to visit the 
penal settlement on Norfolk Island, about 1000 miles 
distant, and not far out of the course to Tahiti, 
whither Daniel Wheeler was bound, it was arranged 
that he should be conveyed in the ^ Henry Free- 
ling.' 

They arrived off the island on the 4th of Third 
month. Their future being now widely different, 
the prospect of separation was keenly felt. A pri- 
vate signal, which they were instructed to make by 
the government at Sidney, having been given, a boat 



152 VISIT TO 

was discovered coming from the shore, by which 
James Backhouse and his companion were landed, 
and shortly after the ' Henry Freeling ' was again on 
the bosom of the broad Pacific. 

In his journal, D.Wheeler says, under date Third 
month, 10th : " Since leaving Norfolk Island, but 
more particularly within the last three or four days, 
it has been to me at times a trying, proving season 
of much strippedness and poverty every way. The 
loss of the company of our dear friends, with whom 
we had been pretty closely and sweetly connected for 
more than five months, either by sea or land, the 
steady opposition of the winds since we separated, 
the great distance we have yet to go, the advanced 
state of the season (towards autumn in these regions), 
and yet, above all, the absence of Him in whom my 
soul delighteth, — combined to weigh down and op- 
press my poor tossed mind, beyond the usual degree, 
towards nothingness and abasement of self. But in 
the depths, although unable to draw nigh, I endea- 
voured to look towards the Holy Temple ; I remem- 
bered the Lord, and my prayer was, I trust, permitted 
to come in unto Him; and He remembered a poor 
unworthy creature, and in His own way and time was 
graciously pleased to speak comfort, and to seal in- 
struction. The affecting instance of the dear Son 
of God Himself was brought to my remembrance, 
^ who was made sin for us, who knew no sin,' and 
died, ' the just for the unjust, that He might bring 
us to Grod,' when, in the very act of child-like and 
lamb-like obedience, and meek submission to His 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 153 

Holy Father's will, from the extreme depth and 
weight of suffering upon Him for the sins of poor, 
lost, guilty man, He poured forth the agonizing 
query, ^ My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken 
me V and I am renewedly persuaded that these trials 
and proving baptisms are all, in unutterable and in- 
conceivable love and mercy, dispensed for the preser- 
vation of that precious life which is hid with Christ 
in God. 

Fourth month, 28th. This morning, about half- 
past one o'clock, the mountains of the long-looked- 
for Tahiti were discovered through the gloom upon 
our lee-bow. It will be eleven weeks to-morrow 
since we left Sidney, and, with the exception of the 
equinoctial gale, we have, during the voyage, for the 
most part, been favoured with fine weather, but with 
an unheard-of proportion (for these seas) of contrary 
winds during nearly the whole time, completely set- 
ting at naught all former supposed experience. After 
leaving Norfolk Island, we traversed from twenty- 
nine to forty degrees of south latitude, in the hope 
of finding the westerly winds, which usually prevail, 
to waft us to the eastward, but could never meet with 
them to any purpose; and, since we entered the 
trade latitudes, to this day we have been in constant 
expectation of meeting with the south-east trade- 
winds, to enable us to fetch the island of Tahiti, 
and have in this been equally unsuccessful. We 
have, however, after traversing various zigzag courses 
over more than 5000 miles of ocean, by the log, since 
leaving Sidney, been guided to a hair's breadth, in 



15-i VISIT TO 

SO remarkable a manner, as to get the first sight of 
the island when nearly dark, the moon not being 
twelve hours old at the time. The darkness and the 
light are both alike to Him who hath been with us, 
to bless and preserve us; enabling us in degree to 
' glory in tribulation,^ and to bear even privation, for 
His name's sake, with peaceful resignation, and not 
worthy of being recounted, because of the love, and 
peace, and joy which at seasons have been our happy 
portion. 

Fourth month, 30th. At noon passed through 
Matavai bay. A canoe with four of the natives 
came off to us, bringing oranges, guavas, and other 
kinds of fruit, which we purchased, after much>bar- 
gaining, for a hank of thread and three small needles 
to each individual, although the price they first asked 
was a dollar for each basket : there were five baskets 
of fruit. We were all pleased with the openness and 
simplicity of these people. At two o'clock, p. m., we 
took Jemmy the pilot on board, and immediately en- 
tered the channel within the reefs ; but after getting 
through the most dangerous part, it fell calm, which 
obliged us to drop an anchor for the night, directly 
opposite the house of George Bicknell, so close to 
the shore that a mooring-hawser was made fast to 
one of his cocoanut trees. By this time our deck 
was covered with the natives. Just as we were ready 
to go on shore to take tea at George BicknelFs (to 
whom, as deputy consul, the mail brought from New 
South Wales had been delivered), the young king (or 
perhaps it is more correct to say, the husband of the 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 155 

queen) came on board^ with his younger brother and 
uncle^ and several others : they behaved with great 
openness and cheerfulness, and seemed highly pleased 
to see us. Our captain was personally known to them 
already. They soon looked round the vessel, appa- 
rently delighted, left us a basket of oranges, and said 
they would come again to-morrow. To my great re- 
joicing, the pilot soon after coming on board, informed 
us (officially) of the disuse of ardent spirits altogether, 
by saying, ' Rum is no good here.^ The total prohi- 
bition of spirituous liquors has been so strongly en- 
forced, that they have taken them out of private 
houses, without exception, and thrown them away; 
and the natives have carried it to the length of 
smelling the breath of people, to ascertain whether 
it had been used, and, if found to be the case, a 
severe fine was imposed ; so that a person well known 
to lead a thoroughly sober life, was not allowed to 
have such a thing in his possession, but was liable at 
any time to undergo a search. 

Fifth month, 1st. {Sixth day?) At day-break the 
pilot came on board, and the breeze being favourable, 
the vessel was got ready, and run gently down to 
Papeete harbour : the water was so clear, that the 
beautifully-spreading branches of coral could be 
plainly distinguished as we passed over the most 
shallow parts of the reef. About nine o'clock, A. M., 
we took up our station in a well-sheltered cove or 
harbour, surrounded by straggling houses, and plan- 
tations of the cocoanut tree, banana, bread-fruit, 
orange, and sugar-cane, ranging along the edge of 



156 VISIT TO 

the sea, on the level land at the foot of the moun- 
tains. In the forenoon, Dr. Vaughan came on board, 
who had recently arrived in a whaling vessel from 
London; and George Pritehard, the resident mis- 
sionary, soon after. For George Pritehard we were 
bearers of many letters and parcels, which proved 
very acceptable. In the afternoon we visited his 
habitation, and were kindly received by his wife and 
family. George Pritehard very kindly inquired 
whether I wished to be at the worship of the Tahi- 
tians, next First day; but I informed him that I 
believed it would be best for me to be with my own 
crew on that day. 

Having endeavoured to keep my mind exercised 
to ascertain the will of my Lord and Master, it was 
with me to tell him that the first step which I had 
to take, was to request a conference with the whole 
of the missionaries in this district, asking him if 
they had any stated times for meeting together by 
themselves ; he said they had, but a special meeting 
could be convened for the occasion. On considering 
a little, he found that their next quarterly meeting, 
in regular course, was to be held the second week in 
the present month. As the month was already come 
in, I thought it would be unreasonable to subject the 
parties to the inconvenience of meeting on purpose, 
as their own meeting would still necessarily have to 
be held on the appointed day, more especially as I 
had several afiairs to regulate, and preparation to 
make, to enable us to barter for supplies, etc. At 
present, I see no farther than to attend this confer- 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 157 

ence, and there produce the certificates furnislied by 
my dear friends in England, humbly trusting that 
the path of my future proceeding will be graciously 
manifested in due time, and strength and percep- 
tion mercifully afibrded to enable me to walk faith- 
fully in it. 

I had been unwell on the 12th inst., but, having 
passed a more favourable night, on the morning of 
the 13th inst. I felt no hesitation about proceeding 
to Papaoa, as the day was fair overhead. George 
Pritchard called with a boat, to take Charles and 
myself with him, he finding three natives to row, 
and myself two. 

Having understood that, on the present occasion, 
the principal chiefs from all parts of the island would 
be there, and a large muster of the inhabitants re- 
siding in this district, it occurred to my mind that it 
would be a favourable medium through which my 
arrival might be publicly announced to all the dis- 
tant districts, if at a suitable time my certificates 
should be read. On mentioning this to George 
Pritchard, and showing him the translation so kindly 
made before I left London by William Ellis, he at 
once saw the propriety, but said it would be neces- 
sary to consult Henry Nott, the senior missionary 
resident at Papaoa, George Pritchard himself being 
a junior; this was a matter of course, and had I 
been aware of the distinction, I should myself have 
proposed it. From the wind having sprung up a 
fresh breeze against us, we were rather late in 
reaching our destination, and Henry Nott had taken 
14 



158 VISIT TO 

his seat in the meeting before we got to it. We 
followed George Pritchard through a large number 
of people that were already assembled, until we got 
up to Henry Nott, who, on being consulted, imme- 
diately consented that it should be done, when their 
service was over. We then took our seats, having 
kept on our hats until that moment; but the heat 
of the climate renders it too oppressive to keep them 
on for any great length of time. We heard of no 
remark, however, having been made on this head, 
whatever might have been thought. They com- 
menced by George Pritchard giving out a hymn; 
then part of the Epistle to the Ephesians was read; 
after which George Pritchard kneeled down and 
prayed; another hymn was then sung; after this 
Charles Wilson preached a long sermon from a text 
out of the same Epistle; when this was finished, 
another hymn was given out, at his request, and he 
afterwards finished with prayer. Some business then 
came on relating to the afiairs of the Missionary So- 
ciety, when the island queen took her seat as its 
President. We merely sat as silent spectators through 
the whole of this, which from beginning to end was 
conducted in the Tahitian language. As only George 
Pritchard sat between myself and the queen, I ob- 
served that she was employed in reading my certifi- 
cates, which had been previously laid upon the table. 
The whole of my certificates were then audibly read 
in the Tahitian language, by George Pritchard, who 
took great pains to give ample explanation whenever 
needful. The marked attention and solidity of coun- 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 159 

tenance manifested by the wondering Tahitians, was 
both striking and comforting; and the solemnity 
which spread over this large assembly had previously 
covered my mind as with a mantle, contriting my 
spirit under a sense that the great Master Himself 
was there. After the reading of the certificates was 
gone through, profound silence reigned. I asked if 
I might say a few words, which was at once per- 
mitted, and George Pritchard agreed to interpret 
between me and the people. I requested him just 
to repeat what I said, and I have reason to believe 
this was faithfully done, and was, to the best of my 
recollection, after this manner : ' I have no wish to 
trespass upon the time of this meeting. I was 
desirous that these documents or certificates might 
be read, which would account for a stranger being 
present, and inform all that I came not here in my 
own will, but in the will of my Lord and Master, 
whose I am, and whom I desire to serve to my latest 
breath; and would also let you know that I came 
with the full unity and consent of that branch of 
the Christian Church in England of which I am a 
member. And now, grace, mercy, and peace from 
God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, be mul- 
tiplied upon all the inhabitants of this land; and 
may the God of peace, who brought again from the 
dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the 
sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 
keep our hearts and minds,^ etc. 

After I sat down, a solemn silence again prevailed, 
until one of the natives, a supreme judge, broke it 



160 VISIT TO 

by addressing me by name^ which he had caught 
from the certificates, and declaring, on behalf of 
himself and the islanders, that the manner of my 
coming among them was very satisfactory, because 
what had been read and spoken was in accordance 
with the gospel which they had been taught, and 
were acquainted with. He also, at considerable 
length, touched upon the great distance I had come 
over the deep waters to see them, and to do them 
good; that, in return, their hearts, and arms, and 
habitations, in effect, were open to receive me, duly 
appreciating the purity and disinterestedness of the 
motive that had induced the step, having no trade 
nor other object in view. He hoped I should visit 
all their schools, and stroke the heads of the children ; 
that he should now deliver them all into my hands. 
I told George Pritchard to say, that the dear children 
would always have a strong hold and a strong claim 
upon my heart. Much more transpired that was 
truly consoling and comforting; and the missionaries 
who spoke on the occasion, I truly believe, most 
fully and cordially co-operated in endeavouring to 
explain my views to the people in terms of strong 
approbation. 

Although the above may not be exactly verbatim, 
it is the substance of what passed. When it was all 
over, Henry Nott kneeled down and concluded the 
meeting with prayer in the Tahitian. The natives 
then generally rose from their seats, and began to 
flock around us, and to shake hands with Charles 
and myself in a very hearty manner, and without 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 161 

regard to order^ age^ or sex, from the humble pea- 
sant to the bronze-coloured queen, her two aunts, 
and the numerous chiefs, who, I think, are the 
stoutest, most giant-like men I ever saw assembled 
together. About 800 persons were collected at this 
meeting, but the house was so extensive, that it 
seemed impossible to make any accurate estimate; 
for my own part, I should have supposed the num- 
ber not less than a thousand. The judge before 
spoken of, in one of his speeches (for he spoke 
three times), hinted that they perceived I was not 
exactly of the same description of Christians that 
had hitherto come amongst them, or I belonged to a 
different body. This, however, did not seem to 
stand in the way. Some days previously to this 
meeting being held, the young king and several 
chiefs came on board to breakfast, six in number. 
After breakfast, our usual reading in the Holy 
Scriptures was introduced, during which they be- 
haved with great attention and propriety; they sat 
as still, in the time of silence, both then and at the 
pause before breakfast, as if accustomed to it. When 
they were about going away, a telescope, and a piece 
of handkerchiefs, were presented to the king, and a 
shawl to each of the others, with which they seemed 
highly pleased. Through the medium of an English- 
man, who had been sent for on the occasion, the king 
was told that I had something in reserve for Pomare, 
the queen, expecting she also would pay us a visit. 
They behaved with much openness and affability, and 
told us in plain terms that they liked us, because we 
14* 



162 VISIT TO 

were like themselves^ and did not make ourselves 
very high to them. 

Fifth month, 15th. The young king and his brother 
came on board in a private capacity; their visit was 
much more agreeable than when attended by several 
of the principal chiefs. They staid dinner, and re- 
mained on board several hours. The simple habits, 
and gentle, unassuming manner of this young man, 
do not appear at present to be liable to alter from 
his having become the husband of the queen. The 
amiable disposition he possesses, and which cannot 
be concealed, at once renders him an object of gene- 
ral esteem. He has evidently acquired considerable 
polish from the intercourse with foreigners, of which 
he does not fail to avail himself at every opportunity ; 
and although, from this circumstance, his manners 
are much more civilized than those of his country- 
men, yet now and then the wild nature of a South 
Sea islander shows itself. They brought us some 
fine bunches of oranges, the largest of which con- 
tained eleven in a cluster, and the smallest seven. 
A sliding knife and fork were presented to each; 
also a three-bladed knife and a penknife. Shortly 
after these guests had left us, a chief, by name 
Paofai, residing near Point Venus, came on board, 
and made signs that he wished to read my certifi- 
cates, which were accordingly furnished for his peru- 
sal in the Polynesian language, although he could 
speak more English than any we have yet met with. 
He is considered a great man, and he was more 
modest in behaviour than any we have yet seen of 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 163 

his stamp : having observed, while he read the cer- 
tificate, that his sight was impaired, I presented him 
with a pair of spectacles; at the same time a pocket- 
handkerchief and a small hatchet were given him; 
upon which he said he had no money to pay for 
them. Such an honest confession we had not before 
met with, nor with any person who mentioned pay- 
ment for what they received. He left us with an 
acknowledgment of the kindness with which he had 
been treated, and I believe both parties were satisfied 
with the interview. In the evening we were engaged 
in writing notices of the public meeting intended to 
be held next First day J' 



164 VISIT TO 



CHAPTER IV. 

MEETING FOR SAILORS — ATTENDS THE NATIVE MEETINGS 

FOR WORSHIP — PERILOUS PASSAGE TO TIAREI NATIVE 

MEETING. 

Daniel Wheeler was brouglit into mucli thouglit- 
ful solicitude about tlie crews of the vessels anchored 
around them; and seeing no way of being clear of 
the blood of these poor neglected people, but by ap- 
pointing a public meeting, it was concluded to ar- 
range one for the next First day. At the appointed 
time, the decks of the ^ Henry Freeling' having been 
extensively seated, a bethel flag, as a signal well un- 
derstood by sailors, was hoisted. 

The journal states: ^^The meeting at length set- 
tled down into stillness beyond our expectation. I 
thought there would scarcely be a single individual 
then present, except our own crew, that had ever 
before been at a meeting held exclusively after the 
manner of Friends. In this, however, I found I 
had been mistaken, as the mat^ of the ^Lancaster' 
came on board the next day, and acknowledged he 
was a member of our Society, though, as he stated, 
he had not kept close to it. He told us that he 
little expected to see a Friends' meeting held amongst 
these islands, but seemed glad of having an opportu- 
nity to attend one. 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 165 

However long the time of silence might be thought^ 
there was no restlessness sufficient to disturb the quiet 
of the meeting. Unexpectedly to myself, I felt an 
engagement of mind to state to the meeting, that the 
religious Society of which I was a member had, from 
its earliest rise, been called upon to bear a faithful 
testimony to the excellency of silent worship and 
waiting upon God ; that it was a noble testimony to 
the all-sufficiency and teaching of that grace which 
had appeared unto all men^ teaching all, and bring- 
ing salvation to all, ^for the grace of Grod that 
bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men, etc. 
looking for that blessed hope and the glorious ap- 
pearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus 
Christ/ etc. to the end of the text. ' For God is a 
Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship 
Him in spirit and in truth ;^ and we are told in 
Holy Writ (by the Son), that ' the Father seeketh 
such to worship Him.' I was then carried forth on 
the nature of true, silent, and spiritual worship, 
to a considerable length; and had to state that my 
head would not have laid easy upon the pillow at a 
future day, if the attempt had not been made to 
collect the seamen of the fleet. That sailors were a 
class of men more than most others separated from 
their homes and regular places of worship, particu- 
larly on these long voyages upon the mighty deep 
for months and months together ; but that the ample 
provision made by the glorious gospel for the resto- 
ration and redemption of mankind, boundless as its 
love, extended unto all ; for He that said, ' Let there 



16G VISIT TO 

be liglit^ and there was light ; ' even ' God who com- 
manded the light to shine out of darkness, hath 
shined in our hearts^ to give the light of the know- 
ledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus 
Christ/ I had largely to proclaim some of the 
principal doctrines of the gospel, and was helped 
through, to my humble and thankful admiration. It 
was indeed a glorious and, I trust, to some a blessed 
meeting. I had, I think, more than once to call 
their attention to the heavenly power that reigned 
over us, with precious solemnity, as a crown and 
diadem; and, before the meeting closed, I had to 
acknowledge the same with prayer and thanksgiving, 
to the glory and the praise of my God. After the 
meeting was broken up, I requested an individual 
out of each ship to step forward, when two hundred 
and twenty-nine tracts, principally those of Friends, 
were disposed of, including those sent on board the 
' Mariner ' in the morning. The above is the sub- 
stance of what I had to deliver in the meeting, 
which, as it arose fresh in my memory when de- 
scribing this meeting in my journal, I felt an 
inducement to transmit thus far, for the satisfaction 
of my dear friends at home, that they may know 
what is going on in this remote part of the globe; 
and to which, but for brevity sake, much more might 
be added. The masters of the ' Cambria' and ' King- 
ston' remained on board, and dined with us. Captain 
Crocker, of the ^ Cambria,' has proposed to take letters 
for us to New Bedford, for which place he is about to 
sail, and forward them from thence to England.'' 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 167 

The attendance of tlie Tahitian meeting for wor- 
ship having been for some days a subject for consi- 
deration, Daniel Wheeler and his son Charles con- 
eluded to land and visit the missionary George 
Pritchard, on this account. This resulted in an 
arrangement to be present on the morrow, being 
First day. It was understood they should sit as 
spectators while the usual service was proceeded 
with, and afterwards the way should be open for 
Daniel Wheeler to speak, if he felt it required of 
him. 

The meeting is thus described : '^ It was consider- 
ably more than half an hour after the fixed time 
before we entered (what is called) the church, where 
a large number of persons were collected and collect- 
ing. The whole congregation were squatted on the 
floor, the building being in an unfinished state, and 
no seats as yet provided : they appeared to occupy 
the whole of the floor, which is very extensive. 
While they were proceeding in their usual manner, 
I endeavoured to draw near to the Fountain of 
Israel, whose God is, and ever will be. He that 
giveth strength and power to His people. My heart 
was softened in an unusual manner, and the creature 
was brought down into a state of nothingness ; tears 
flowed beyond a capability of restraint; my mind 
was as a calm, and I was prepared to stand up when 
the proper moment arrived. A universal stillness 
now prevailed over the meeting, probably increased 
by expectation, which had for some time been stamped 
upon the countenances of the whole assembly. 



168 VISIT TO 

^ Grod is not the author of confusion, but of peace, 
as in all churches of the saints/ were the first words 
uttered by me; which, when interpreted, were fol- 
lowed by — It is not an every-day occurrence for a 
stranger thus to speak amongst you, probably what 
you never before witnessed; but it is according to 
the true order of the gospel that the prophets should 
speak two or three, that all might learn and all might 
be comforted — with some more of the text, repeating 
again, ' For God is not the author of confusion, but 
of peace, as in all churches of the saints ; ^ proceed- 
ing with — I have nothing new to offer : the way to 
the kingdom is the same now as in the beginning : 
there is no variableness or shadow of turning with 
that Grod with whom we have to do : the things of 
time may vacillate and change, but the Kock of 
Ages unimpaired remains; it changeth not, ^ The 
foundation of Grod standeth sure, having this seal. 
The Lord knoweth them that are His/ This foun- 
dation is Christ Jesus, and no other foundation can 
any man lay than is laid. Every man's work will be 
made manifest, the day shall declare it, the fire of 
the Lord will try it ; that only will stand which is 
built on Christ Jesus the righteous, that tried corner- 
stone, elect of Grod, and precious indeed to them that 
believe, though to the Jews a stumbling-block, and 
to the Greeks foolishness. For this cause, ^God 
gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth 
in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life' 
— with more on this important point. In looking 
over this large assembly, the love of God has filled 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 1G9 

my heart as I have sat amongst you. May the Lord 
in Heaven bless you! is the language that has arisen 
therein. It is this love that induced me to come 
amongst you; it is this love that would gather all 
into the heavenly garner of rest and peace : endless 
in duration is the mercy of the Lord ; free and un- 
bounded is His love. His love has been long ex- 
tended to these islands^ and covered them as with a 
mantle. This island has had advantages beyond many 
others. — I reminded them that many years had now 
elapsed since the sound of the gospel was first heard 
in their land ; they had long had many parts of the 
Holy Scriptures in circulation, which from their 
earliest pages point to the Saviour. It was pro- 
mised, soon after the fall of man, that the seed of 
the woman should bruise the serpent's head. Moses 
declared to the people in his day, ^A prophet shall 
the Lord your God raise up unto you of your breth- 
ren, like unto me ; him shall ye hear in all things ; ' 
and the soul which will not hear that prophet shall 
be destroyed from among the people. Which led to 
the query of what return had been made for all this, 
and wherein had they been benefited by these great 
privileges ? etc. They had run well for a season : 
what had hindered them? What had prevented 
them, that they should have turned again as unto 
the weak and beggarly elements? If they had 
obeyed the gospel this would not have been the 
case; they would by this time have been a pure 
people for their God. That unless there was a 
thorough alteration and change, the blessing in- 
15 



170 VISIT TO 

tended for them would be withdrawn, and the rod 
would be administered for their iniquity. Continuingj 
^ Be watchful, and strengthen the things which re- 
main, that are ready to die ; ' for your works are not 
perfect in the sight of God. ' Remember, therefore, 
how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and 
repent:' there is a great work to be done; for where 
is your hope when the present generation are sum- 
moned from works to rewards, if the younger child- 
ren are not trained in succession ? 

I then had to call upon the parents to step forward 
before it was too late : they had all a part to take in 
it. Tahitian mothers had a large share devolving 
upon them; much depended upon their influence 
and example in endeavouring to train up their 
children with habits of civilized life, by letting 
them learn to read (which at present is much ne- 
glected, and much disliked both by parents and 
children), that so they might partake in the advan- 
tages which are to be derived from the Holy Scrip- 
tures : reminding them that ' they that be wise shall 
shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they 
that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever 
and ever ; ' exhorting them not to be overcome with 
evil, but to overcome evil with (or by) that which is 
good; that the promises are many, great, and pre- 
cious, recorded in Holy Writ, to them that overcome, 
etc. Though, perhaps, more might be expressed than 
above noted, and with some variation as to the words, 
yet I believe that what is here inserted is the sub- 
stance and principal part of what was uttered. 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 171 

Having finished, I took my seat. Soon after this, 
George Pritchard concluded the meeting. When 
the whole congregation rose, the elderly people came 
forward to shake hands ; but being pretty near one 
of the doors (of which there are four), we were soon 
carried outside by the current of people turning that 
way. There were upwards of a thousand people 
inside of the building, and a considerable number 
outside also. The doors and windows being all open, 
those without could hear about as well as those 
within.^' 

The following reflections occur in Daniel Wheeler^s 
journal, under date of 8th of Sixth month : '^ The 
organization of the language, so as to admit the 
translation of the Holy Scriptures into the native 
tongue, is a work the importance of which cannot 
be duly estimated nor conceived, as to the happy 
result, under the Divine blessing, that is in store for 
generations yet unborn, any more than the boundary 
of extent can be defined to which they may be per- 
mitted to circulate and diffuse revealed truth in the 
language of Holy Inspiration. This work, now con- 
sidered to be near its completion, has been the labour 
of many years, in a climate wasting to the constitu- 
tion of every European, as oppressively relaxing from 
the heat. Henry Nott has been a very laborious ser- 
vant in this cause, without any regard to the many 
hardships and privations which the earliest settlers 
had particularly to encounter, and in which he 
deeply shared ; his constitution is now sinking from 
long residence and the effects of close sedentary 



172 VISIT TO 

application : wto can doubt for a moment the do- 
votedness of sncli a man ? Great and important are 
the advantages which such a work is calculated to 
bestow on mankind, beyond every other, or in com- 
parison with any other outward means of help and 
comfort; for where can the excellency of the Holy 
Scriptures be equalled, or to what can they be com- 
pared, seeing the writers were divinely inspired? 
And beinor thus of heavenlv oriein and descent, 
they ever stand unrivalled as profitable for doctrine, 
for reproof, for correction, for instruction in right- 
eousness, that the man of God may be perfect and 
thoroughly furnished to every good word and work, 
and above all they are able to make wise even to 
salvation ; but it is only through faith which is in 
Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom their inspired pages 
point from the earliest age of recorded time.'' 

Having landed on the previous day, they attended 
the sunrise meeting of the Tahitians at Bunaauia, 
on the 17th of Sixth month. Their usual service 
having been gone through, Daniel TTheeler arose, 
having George Pritchard for an interpreter, and 
spoke in substance as follows : '* The principal bur- 
den that rested upon my mind was to turn the 
attention of the people to the Hght of Christ Jesus 
in their own hearts, that their conversation might be 
such as becometh His gospel. I had to tell them, 
that although I did not understand their language, 
vet I was fearful for them, seeins: that for everv idle 
word a man shall speak, he must give an account in 
the day of judgment, for by our words we shall be 



THE PACIFIC ISLE>S. 173 

justified^ and by our words we shall be condemned; 
believingj and declaring this belief, that a very loose 
and wanton conversation was a besetting sin amongst 
them. I had to remind them of the superior advan- 
tages bestowed upon these islands^ over many others 
of this part of the habitable globe^ by the introduc- 
tion of Christianity amongst them. Had they obeyed 
the gospel^ the effect of the contaminating example 
of evil introduced amongst them by distant nations 
would have been prevented ; that the Lord is look- 
ing for fruit, and the earth that drinketh in the rain 
that Cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs 
meet for the use of him by whom it is dressed, 
receiveth blessing from God ; but that which bring- 
eth forth briars and thorns is rejected, and is nigh 
unto cursing, whose end is to be burned; that the 
desire of my soul was, that the lamentation once 
taken up by the Saviour of the world might never 
be applicable to them as a people: ^0 Jerusalem, 
Jerusalem, etc. how often would I have gathered 
thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her 
chickens under her wings, and ye would not I ' 
That the love of God had overshadowed these 
islands in an eminent degree; and I never heard 
of an instance where the Lord, in matchless mercy, 
was pleased to send any of His servants amongst a 
people, but that His love was still towards that 
people. That Christ Jesus had been often preached 
to them, but they had not obeyed His gospel : they 
must repent and obey, and the way to repent and 
obey is to fear God, and give glory to Him. That 
15* 



174 VISIT TO 

it is the same gospel now as was proclaimed by the 
angel which John saw %ing through the midst of 
heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto 
every nation and kindred, and tongue and people; 
saying, with a loud voice, ' Fear God, and give glory 
to Him, for the hour of His judgment is come; and 
worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the 
sea, and the fountains of waters/ Desiring that 
they might be sensible of that day when the Lord's 
judgment is come upon all that is of a sinful and 
transgressing nature, that so they might indeed fear 
Him, and in thought, word, and deed give glory 
unto Him, and thus be prepared to worship Him in 
spirit and in truth; for it is such the Father seeketh 
to worship Him. That *God, who commanded the 
light to shine out of darkness, had shined in our 
hearts/ and to this savins: liirht I wished to turn 
them, etc. etc. The people were generally very 
attentive, and a solemn covering was permitted to 
prevail over us. On rising from our seats, they 
gathered around us in the usual way. Being pre- 
viously acquainted with Utami, a principal chief in 
that neighbourhood, we met like old friends, who 
knew and loved each other, if his love for me was 
the same as I felt for him. We got out into the air 
as soon as we well could, in order to escape some of 
the usual greetings, not feeling in a condition, from 
weakness and exhaustion, to accept of all the kind- 
ness intended by these people. 

Sixth month, 20th. George Pritchard came on 
board in the forenoon, and assisted in arranging a 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 175 

plan for accomplishing our visit to the remaining 
and most distant districts upon the island of Tahiti. 
It was concluded best for us to set off this afternoon 
towards Tiarei. As the wind blew fresh, about sun- 
set was considered the proper time to proceed as far 
as Point Venus, presuming the strength of the wind 
would lessen as the evening approached. It was pro- 
posed that we should remain at Point Venus until 
two o'clock in the mornings and then push forward 
so as to reach Tiarei about day-break, before the 
trade-wind set in, which is mostly pretty strong, and 
generally from the quarter to which we were bending 
our course. All things being ready, we left the 
^ Henry Freeling^ soon after four o'clock, the wind 
having materially lesvsened by the fall of some rain, 
and it still continued to get lighter as we proceeded. 
As there was every indication of clear and serene 
weather long before reaching the first place of in- 
tended destination, it was suggested by our native 
boat's crew, that we should not make much stay 
there, but push forward while the wind and sea 
were gentle. The principal motive for wishing to 
stop by the way at all, was to lessen the fatigue of 
these men, by dividing the journey into two parts, 
so that they might rest between them ; but they were 
well aware that the whole distance could be performed 
at once, in calm weather, with much more ease than 
if divided, and time given for rest, if the wind and 
sea should rise against them, although but in a 
moderate degree. Just before dark, we landed 
upon the shore of Point Venus, the place from 



176 VISIT TO 

whence the celebrated navigator, Captain James 
Cook, observed the transit of the planet Venus on 
the disk of the sun. Opposite this part of the 
coast of Tahiti, which we had next to traverse, 
there is no sheltering coral-reef for its protection; 
so that the remainder of our journey was now ex- 
posed to the whole beat of the Pacific Ocean, and 
can only be performed when the weather is niode- 
rate. 

Having with us Samuel Wilson, we were readily 
conducted to the habitation of his father, Charles 
Wilson, the resident missionary at this station, and 
were kindly entertained by the family. As the pas- 
sage round Point Venus is very intricate, and the 
water particularly shoal, the boat was taken round 
to the other side, while we were partaking of some 
refreshment. We lost no time in preparing again to 
embark. The crew met us with a native torch, made 
of the dry branching leaves of the cocoanut tree, 
which, with our own lantern, lighted the intricate 
narrow path among the bushes, and was particularly 
useful at the sea-side, the night being now very 
dark. As the night advanced, we were helped by 
a gentle land breeze, so that the labour of the oars 
was a little diminished by the addition of a sail 
being set to catch it. There was an experienced 
elderly native employed at the stern-oar of our 
whale-boat, whose course seemed to be principally 
directed by the white tops of the rolling surf, as it 
broke upon the coast near to which he mostly kept. 
Off one rocky point of land it became needful to 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 177 

turn off with a wide sweep towards the offing, to 
escape a projecting ridge of rocks, the outermost 
extremity of which was defined by the termination 
of breakers. By ten o'clock, p. m., it was declared 
that we were abreast of Tiarei; but the night was so 
dark, that the narrow entrance through the reef to 
it could not be distinguished even by the eagle-eyed 
Tahitians. The boat's mast was struck, and one of 
the natives stationed in the front, with Samuel Wilson, 
to look out ; and her head being turned shore- wards, 
we edged gently down towards the foaming breakers, 
which were bursting on the rocky strand with thun- 
dering noise. As the rowing had now altogether 
ceased, the boat drifted only at the rate at which the 
swell of the sea hove her along — a measure highly 
prudent until the dangerous pass we had to go 
through was clearly ascertained, as was quickly 
afterwards sufficiently demonstrated, though at the 
moment such tardy proceeding might seem to pro- 
tract the term of suspense. Having silently pro- 
ceeded for some time in this way, and, from the 
increasing roar of the restless waters, evidently draw- 
ing nearer and nearer to the margin of the crags, on 
a sudden there were symptoms of alarm, which could 
not be mistaken, on the part of the boat's crew, who 
now perceived that we had missed the only entrance 
that affi)rded a passage to the shore ; and, from our 
present position, a large lump of rock was in the way 
to the mouth of the channel, which the boat could 
not possibly escape. Our poor Tahitians immediately 
jumped into the sea, and did all they could to save 



178 Y I S I T T O 

the boat from being dashed to pieces^ but they could 
not prevent her from striking. She^ however^ only 
struck once, and lay quiet, the wave having so far 
receded that she did not float enough to beat; and 
the next roller that came in, instead of filling her 
with water, carried her completely over this obstruc- 
tion. But it was difficult for some time to ascertain 
whether the worst was now over or not, for our men 
began to howl and shout, the meaning of which we 
could not comprehend. It afterwards appeared that 
this was done to rouse the sleeping natives on the 
shore, who, well understanding this yell, shortly came 
running with lighted torches to our assistance, and a 
few minutes placed us once more upon terra firma. 
As the boat could not get close in, one of these men 
very soon had me upon his back, to prevent my get- 
ting wet. Samuel Wilson and my son Charles were 
landed in the same way. The journey altogether 
had been more speedy, and in many respects more 
favourable, than is often witnessed, until we came to 
the last pinch, when the never-failing arm of Al- 
mighty power was again displayed in the needful 
time for our relief. As we were strangers to the 
language of the people, and could render them no 
assistance whatever, and as any attempt to direct 
their efforts must only have increased the general 
confusion, we therefore sat silent beholders of what 
was going forward, committing ourselves to Him who 
saw our perilous situation through the darkened 
gloom, and did not suffer the briny waters to prevail 
against us, but, in love and mercy and compassion, 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 179 

stretched forth His hand to save. As to myself, I 
may say, my heart was fixed, trusting in the Lord, 
whose loving-kindness is better than life. He was 
with us of a truth, in fulfilment of His gracious 
promise, and we were not confounded. I desire to 
record this signal favour with humble thankfulness 
and reverence, to His praise and to His glory. We 
soon reached the mission-house, where William Henry 
resides, to whom we were all personally known, and 
by whom and his wife we were kindly accommodated 
for the night; although, from their secluded situa- 
tion, but little in the way of receiving strangers, 
and in so abrupt a manner, at an hour so unseason- 
able, as they could not have had the least idea of our 
coming. Much sleep could not be obtained, yet we 
passed the night in quietness, and I felt refreshed at 
rising. 

Tiarei, 21st. Previously to the commencement of 
the Tahitian worship, at nine o'clock in the morning, 
the time was pretty fully occupied with the family 
devotion and taking breakfast; after which we re- 
paired to the meeting-house, it being agreed, if I 
should have any thing to speak to the people, that 
Samuel Wilson was to stand as interpreter. This 
was a relief to William Henry (and also to myself), 
as he had quite as much to go through as his 
strength was equal to, he being far advanced in 
years. After William Henry had shown us to a 
seat, he went into the pulpit, Samuel Wilson re- 
maining not far from us. At this distance, although 
not very remote from the contaminating efiects of 



180 VISIT TO 

the shipping, the difference in appearance, and in the 
general deportment of the people, was discernible 
throughout the greater part of the congregation, 
which was large. Being comforted by the sensible 
presence of the great Master, my mind was strength- 
ened in an unusual manner, but not until after a season 
of humiliating conflict had been passed through, in 
order and preparatory, I believe, that the excellency 
of the power might be felt and known, and acknow- 
ledged to be of God, and not of us, nor of any thing 
that we can command or call our own/^ — When the 
usual engagements of the meeting were gone through, 
Daniel Wheeler observes : '^ I stood up, and beckoned 
to Samuel Wilson to draw nearer to me. We went 
into a position a little more central, near the table, 
and under a solemn covering, after a short interval 
of silence, I said — ^I am fully persuaded in my own 
mind, that you, my beloved people, will suffer a few 
words from a stranger, who is with you in the fear, 
and in the love, and, I may add, in the will of God, 
and not in my own ; and therefore I stand amongst 
you with innocent boldness, because I seek not yours, 
but you, that immortal part in you which must sooner 
or later have a being in endless felicity, or in endless 
misery. Declaring unto them that there is no alte-^ 
ration in the Christian course — the warfare is con- 
tinual, and can only be maintained and accomplished 
with burning and fuel of fire, by the cleansing ope- 
ration of that burning which the spirit of judgment 
produces, and that unquenchable fire of the Lord 
which consumeth the chaffy and transgressing nature 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 181 

m our hearts ; and, if submitted to^ would prepare 
and purify us, even as He is pure, for a kingdom 
consisting not in meats and drinks, but in righteous- 
ness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost — a king- 
dom where nothing that is unclean, nothing that is 
impure, nothing that worketh an abomination, or that 
maketh a lie, can ever enter. Whilst I have been 
sitting with you, my heart has been filled with the 
love of God towards you; raising in it a fervent 
desire that every individual, from the least to the 
greatest, might be numbered among the ransomed 
and redeemed of the Lord, who shall return and 
come to Sion with songs and everlasting joy upon 
their heads, from whom sorrow and sighing shall 
flee away/ But I had to tell them that a great and 
individual work must be accomplished before these 
gracious and prophetic promises are realized. The 
indignation of the Lord must be patiently borne for 
sin, and for transgression, until He should arise and 
plead their cause, and execute judgment for them, 
and in His own time say. It is enough; and bring 
them forth to the light, even the light of Christ 
Jesus, in whom they will then behold the Lamb of 
God that taketh away the sin of the world. This 
light shineth in every heart, and is the true light 
that lighteth every man that cometh into the world, 
in which only the righteousness of Christ Jesus is 
witnessed to be brought forth and beheld. That 
when the precious blood of Christ was shed for the 
sins of all mankind. He ascended up on high; He 
led captivity captive, and received gifts for men, 
16 



182 VISIT TO 

even for tlie rebellious also^ that the Lord God might 
dwell among them^ even among sinners^ such as them- 
selves and me. That a measure or manifestation of 
the gift of the Holy Spirit is given to every man to 
profit withal ; and well will it be for those who are 
profiting thereby, and faithfully occupying therewith. 
I then had to remind them of the great things which 
the Lord had done for them ; that the gospel sound 
had long been heard in their land ; that many parts 
of the Holy Scriptures had been translated into their 
native tongue, which directed them to the Saviour — 
to the Word which was in the beginning, that was 
with God, and was God. And after enlarging much 
farther (although I think what I have stated are the 
principal heads that were touched upon), I sat down 
poor and empty, yet satisfied with favour, and full 
with the blessing of the Lord. Instead of the con- 
gregation beginning to separate immediately, in a 
hasty manner, as we have sometimes witnessed, even 
the dear children kept their seats, with the whole 
of the company: a delightful pause ensued (short, 
but crowned with that solemnity not at our com- 
mand), during which I humbly trust the thanks- 
giving of many redounded to the glory of God. 
Silence was at last broken by one of the chiefs 
expressing, on behalf of the assembly and him- 
self, their thankfulness and satisfaction, and how 
welcome my visit had been to them; because, 
he said, 'you have preached to us the everlasting 
gospel, and have shown to us the propitiatory sacri- 
fice for the sins of mankind, Christ Jesus' — with 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 183 

something farther^ whicli, wlien interpreted, I was 
fearful attached too much to the creature; and I 
requested Samuel Wilson to tell them not to look to 
the creature, but to their Creator. The whole of the 
people still continued together (about eight hundred 
persons), and seemed as if they knew not how to 
begin to separate, until some person, I think, pro- 
posed their shaking hands with us, which imme- 
diately commenced, and exceeded all we had before 
met with.'^ 

On another occasion they were met by Tahtee, the 
greatest orator of the islands, and one of the two who 
stand as champions for the general welfare of the 
country. He invited them to his house, and re- 
freshed them with the milk of the cocoa-nut. He 
said that although many improvements had been in- 
troduced by foreigners coming amongst them, yet we 
might perceive they still retained many of their old 
habits and customs, alluding to their domestic ar- 
rangements, squatting upon the floor, etc. The house 
exhibited more of an air of comfort and industry 
than any they had before seen : cloth, fishing-nets, 
etc. were lying about, of native manufacture 



184 VISIT TO 



CHAPTER V. 

TAIAKAPIT — FAVOURED MEETING FOR WORSHIP — LETTER 
FROM THE NATIVE CONGREGATION — NATIVE ENTERTAIN- 
MENT — LETTER FROM THE QUEEN — DESOLATING SCOURGE 
OF ARDENT SPIRITS — ISLAND OF EIMEO. 

The sun was nigh setting when they reached 
Taiarapu^ the missionary station to which they were 
destined ; but the beauty and various scenery of this 
part of the island served to enliven the last hour of 
a long day's exposure to the sun. The stupendous 
mountains^ however steep and rugged^ were clothed 
in the richest and fullest manner with every kind of 
forest and fruit tree which flourish in these tropical 
climateS; where perpetual summer reigns ; their luxu- 
riance only now and then interrupted by falls of 
water hurrying down the steep declivities, in beauti- 
ful cascades, to the vales imderneath ; but the noise 
of these numerous cataracts is at once overpowered 
and lost in the roar of the mighty Pacific, whose 
waves incessantly thunder in endless succession upon 
the shores and reefs of Tahiti. 

The meeting at this station is thus described: 
^^ At four o'clock, p. M., the people assembled in the 
meeting-house, where I had full opportunity to clear 
my mind towards them. The district on this penin- 
sula being quite distinct from those on the other, it 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 185 

was needful that my certificates should be read, as 
none of the people could have previously heard 
them. They were read, accordingly, with ample 
explanation, by J. M. Orsmond, before I stood on my 
feet. The people were turned to the light of Christ 
Jesus in their own hearts. They were told that their 
being members of an outward and visible Church 
would not avail them in the great and awful day of 
account; that they must be members of the true 
gospel Church, the Church triumphant, whose names 
are written in Heaven ; and unless this was attained 
whilst here, it would be too late, for it cannot be done 
hereafter; there is no work nor device in the grave, 
etc. Showing them how the primitive believers, 
through the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better 
things than that of Abel, attained to it in their day, 
and that it is equally as attainable at this day, through 
the purifying operations of the Holy Spirit. I urged 
and encouraged them to persevere in this great and 
important work, earnestly desiring that they might 
not rest satisfied with an empty profession, but that 
they might come into the possession of the inesti- 
mable pearl, the pearl of great price, the truth as it 
is in Jesus. 

It was indeed a solid and solemn opportunity, and 
one of those which I afterwards learned left the 
people hungering, I trust, for heavenly bread ; whilst 
to myself it was productive of that soul-enriching 
peace which can only be purchased by sharing in 
the blessed Master's cup of sufierings, of which I 
had drank, and under which I had been heavily 
16* 



186 VISIT TO 

bowed down during tlie afternoon, before going to 
the meeting, and there also. And now how can I 
sufficiently acknowledge and declare the condescend- 
ing mercy and loving-kindness of my gracious Lord 
God, who in a particular manner was pleased to warm 
the hearts of those dear people with His life-giving 
presence, making it an occasion truly memorable, and 
causing many of them to rejoice and abound with 
thanksgiving to His praise and to His glory. The 
same evening the deacons of the church (two), 
Tetohi and Puna by name, came to J. M. Orsmond^s 
house, and, being seated with us, one of them pro- 
duced a letter, written on behalf of the congregation 
at Tea-hu-poo, which, being directed to Daniel Whee- 
ler, was opened by myself, and when literally trans- 
lated by Samuel Wilson, and examined by J. M. 
Orsmond, and by him approved, was found to con- 
tain the address that followeth : 

Translated copy, dated at 

' Tea-hii-]poo, 2Qth of June, 18S5, 

Dear Friends. — The ministers with the Brethren 
and Sisters in London. 

Peace be unto you, in the true God Jehovah, and 
in Jesus Christ his Son, who came into the world to 
save sinful men — we indeed are sinful men. Here 
is Daniel Wheeler amongst us; and he has made 
known unto us all the good words of Jesus Christ. 
And comfort has grown in our hearts; and great 
pleasure has been to us from his words, concerning 
the words of Jesus the Messiah. 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 187 

It was indeed very great pleasure in his saying to 
us, Jesus is the pearl of great price. It is a pearl 
good within, and good without. And many have 
been the good words that he has spoken to us. Now 
indeed we know assuredly he has true love to the 
brethren and sisters in all places where the things 
of Jesus are held. In that love he has come 
amongst us ; and indeed our love is grown towards 
him and his son, in their making known on their 
way the things of Jesus, and in their visit of love 
to all the brethren, and in inviting all to enter in to 
Jesus the Messiah. 

Signed on behalf of the Church, 

Puna.' 

At the breaking up of the meeting in the after- 
noon, I told J. M. Orsmond that I felt so much love 
to these people, I thought I should see them again ; 
when he proposed to meet me at the out-station on 
the other side of the peninsula next First day but 
one, where he said he would collect the whole of the 
people from this place, and from the two other sta- 
tions. I could not speak decisively at the moment, 
though expectation was given that it might probably 
be so. Since this conversation I have recollected 
that, on leaving Tiarei last First day, we were told 
that the people from an out-station of that district 
had just arrived, in expectation that we should be 
again at the meeting in the afternoon. It seems 
tight for me to go to the out-station on the other 
side of the peninsula, called Tautira; and I find, on 



188 VISIT TO 

inquiryj that the Tiarei out-station can be visited at 
the same time, but that it will require fine weather 
and a smooth sea to efi'ect it. It must, however, be 
left for the present with Him who knows the thoughts 
of all our hearts, before whom I desire to stand in 
humble resignation and willingness to go or to stay, 
as seemeth Him good. The two men who came with 
the letter before mentioned (Tetohi and Puna), re- 
mained with us until near midnight; and I think it 
may be said, that by the breaking of bread our 
spiritual eyes were opened to perceive that the great 
Master was there, in marvellous condescension and 
mercy, to bless the opportunity. It was indeed a 
heavenly banquet; and some of us, who had lain 
many days in the grave, were now, like Lazarus, 
permitted to sit at the table with their Lord. I was 
reminded of the Passover, and was constrained to 
declare amongst them — This is the true supper; this 
is the sacrament indeed, as you call it. It could not 
be denied, for the Lord^s power was over all. One 
of those present observed more than once : ' This is 
what is so much wanting amongst us, spiritual reli- 
gion ; this is what is so much wanting.^ ^' Daniel 
Wheeler then proceeds : '' Hearken to the invitation 
of the Bridegroom of souls, held forth in the lan- 
guage of holy inspiration, ^Eat, friends; drink, 
yea, drink abundantly, beloved ! ^ Sweet is His 
voice, and His countenance comely. Let us hearken, 
that so we may be favoured to hear it. Let us wait 
for it with our lamps trimmed, and our lights burn- 
ing, with girded loins, like men that are waiting 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 189 

indeed for the coming of their Lord ; for sweet is 
His voice, even the voice of Him, the same, and no 
other, who said, ^Behold I stand at the door and 
knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the 
door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, 
and he with me/ Then let us hearken, so that we 
may hear, and be ready to open the doors of our 
hearts, that the King of Glory may come in. 
Blessed and happy are they that hear and obey; 
they share in the highest, greatest, and richest 
heavenly favour bestowed on earth by the quicken- 
ing Spirit of the Lord from Heaven, upon poor, 
frail, mortal dust. These ^ behold the King in his 
beauty,' and cannot refrain from declaring to others, 
that sweet is His voice, and his countenance comely.'^ 

On their return, they passed through an opening 
of the reef, with a strong current, where the boys 
were amusing themselves in the surf, by lying at full 
length on their backs upon boards, and letting the 
rolling, curling breakers whirl them precipitately 
down the liquid precipice to the gulf below. Some 
of the boys best acquainted with this slippery sport, 
by watching the proper moment to launch forth, were 
hurled with great velocity to considerable distances, 
without being dislodged from their slippery board ; 
while the unskilful would be impetuously rolled over 
by the curling wave, and for a time hidden in the 
foam below. 

A native entertainment is thus described : " Having 
had but little to refresh us since leaving Point Venus 
the preceding evening, two o'clock the next afternoon 



190 VISIT TO 

was rather a late breakfast hour ; the resident natives 
had^ however, lost no time in preparing some food for 
us. After our arrival, they killed and roasted whole 
a good-sized pig, upon hot stones, covered over with 
leaves and then with wood-ashes, with bread-fruit, 
tarro, and the mountain plantain. When this ^ feed- 
ing,^ as they term it, was ready, and the floor covered 
over to a considerable extent with the large leaves 
of the purau-tree, it was presented to us in a formal 
manner, with a bundle of the island cloth (made 
from the beaten bark of the bread-fruit tree), ac- 
cording to the custom of the country. The com- 
pany then sat down upon the floor, consisting of 
Samuel Wilson, Charles, and myself, with the boat's 
crew close to us, but, according to usage, forming a 
distinct party. One of our men, who had acted the 
part of cook, cut up the pig, using a knife with, one 
hand, and holding the victim with the other. We 
had a solemn pause before beginning to dine, and all 
remained still until this was over. When the carver 
had well separated the pig into a variety of shapeless 
lumps, he threw some of them to us, and the rest to 
his comrades, and the whole was pretty soon out of 
sight. The milk of fresh-pulled young cocoa-nuts 
furnished our drink, and salt water, in calabashes, 
fresh from the Pacific, to dip the food in, was used 
instead of salt: this we found to be an excellent 
substitute. When nearly ready to depart, about six 
yards off a piece of pocket-handkerchiefs was given 
to the man that had charge of the premises during 
the absence of the owner. It may be said that we 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 191 

dined in public, as the place was pretty well crowded 
with lookers-on, principally women and children/' 

At Tautira they were conducted to the residence 
occupied by the queen, when there. ^^In a short 
time after reaching these premises, our attention was 
awakened by the voice of a person speaking aloud, 
in as high a tone as could be well imagined. This 
man, we were told, was the queen's speaker, who was 
come in her name, that of the church, and of the 
whole of the inliahitants, to welcome us to Tautira. 
On going to him at the door, he delivered a sort of 
congratulatory address, which happily was soon over, 
as the man spoke so loud as to be quite fearful to our 
ears. After partaking of some refreshment in true 
Tahitian style, the deacons and some others of the 
congregation assembled in the room, and one of them 
read a portion of Scripture, and prayed at consider- 
able length. When this was finished, a general con- 
versation followed, principally on our coming to visit 
them, and of a serious nature. We retired to rest 
about nine o'clock : J. M. Orsmond stretched him- 
self upon a strong bench with a back to it, something 
like a sofa, Samuel Wilson upon a mat on the floor, 
and Charles and myself upon a mat spread over a 
raised frame, and supported by open work, made 
from the bark of a tree, which I thought an excel- 
lent bed. At this place I found my gimlets particu- 
larly useful in keeping my clothing a considerable 
height above the floor, by which they were not only 
out of the damp, but avoided the vermin, which 
were very annoying, and of various kinds. A house- 



192 VISIT TO 

lizard was caught upon the wall in the course of the 
evening; and although the house had been built 
several years^ it had never had doors^ so that dogs, 
ratS; etc. had free access to any part of it. It 
was, however, to myself a peaceful and comfortable 
asylum.^^ 

A letter was received from the queen, of which 
the following is a literal translation : 

^'TaUti, SOth ofJune,lSS5, 
I do away with the money for the anchoring of 
the vessel. This is the reason why I do away with 
it, because thine is a visit of love, and not a trading 
voyage. If it was a trading voyage, it would not be 
done away with : I would still demand the money for 
the anchoring : but because thine is a visit of love, 
I have not therefore demanded the money. 

(Signed) Pomare V. 
Health to thee and thy son in your (two) voyaging. 
Na Daniella Wira.^' 

On the island of Tahiti, many other deeply inte- 
resting meetings were held with the natives and with 
the crews of the shipping during his stay of four 
months, but the limits of our small volume will not 
admit of their being introduced into its pages. He 
left its shores in the latter part of the Eighth month, 
1835, for the neighbouring island of Eimeo. 

No circumstance attending our dear friend Daniel 
Wheeler's interesting visit to the South Sea Islands, 
appears to have more painfully affected his feelings, 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 193 

than the observation forced upon him^ from place to 
place, of the demoralizing and devastating effects of 
the intercourse of the natives with the crews of 
vessels visiting their shores. In some letters, not 
forming a part of his journal, he thus alludes to the 
subject: 

^* We find that the voyages of the whaling-vessels 
are much longer than formerly, their success being 
more precarious and uncertain, owing to the increased 
number of ships engaged in that employ, which con- 
stantly disturb a great breadth of ocean, by looking 
over several hundred square miles of its surface 
every day; so that the fish are becoming scarcer, 
and more shy than formerly. We should rejoice to 
hear of any cause that would reduce the number of 
shipping which visit these islands for supplies, and 
to refit ; as they only tend to diminish their popula- 
tion, by bringing spirituous liquors amongst the people, 
and by keeping alive a disease, the ravages of which 
are destroying whole families, both old and young, to 
an extent little contemplated in England, and truly 
painful and distressing to be an eye-witness to, and 
which is greatly aggravated by the use of ardent 
spirits. Surely, something will be done to stop this 
desolating scourge of the human race. It is the 
suffering case of an afflicted, injured people, and 
calls for the attention, and that speedily, of the legis- 
lature of every country, but particularly of England 
and America, which are the nations principally im- 
plicated in this dreadful traffic. Scarcely a ship 
arrives, but what has for sale rum, muskets, and 
17 



194 VISIT TO 

gunpowder^ for all of whicli the natives are ex- 
tremely eager ; many of these are denominated ' tem- 
perance ships/ and yet are engaged in producing 
madness amongst the natives^ by furnishing means of 
intoxication ; at the same time supplying them with 
weapons of destruction, to complete their misery. 
We have seen much of this since our lot has been 
cast amongst them ; and though the use of spirits is 
forbidden, and the article itself is destroyed when 
found, yet there are too many who carry on the trade 
in an underhand manner; and of late there has been 
more and more of its effects to be seen. Those who 
have it in their power effectually to stop it, are in 
their hearts desirous that it should be allowed : they 
not only like it themselves, but are fully aware how 
profitable the sale is to those that deal in it. 

If my friends at home could witness for themselves 
the state of many of the islands in these seas, which 
we have visited, lamentation, and mourning, and woe, 
must inevitably be their portion. Rum, muskets, and 
gunpowder, are articles brought in great abundance, 
particularly by the American ships, many of which 
are styled ' temperance ships.^ It is an absolute fact, 
incontrovertible, that vessels of this description have 
landed larger quantities of spirits on some islands 
than any other class of ships. On almost every 
island the population decreases, and the dreadful 
ravages made by disease are much aggravated by 
the use of spirits. ^^ 

At Eimeo his certificates were read by the resident 
missionary, Alexander Simpson, who kindly offered 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 195 

to assist in promoting the object of his visit. Reli- 
gious meetings were held in different parts. On one 
occasion he attended the missionary school, and after 
some scriptural exercises were finished, spoke as fol- 
lows : " ' We, through the Spirit, wait for the hope 
of righteousness by faith.^ Sitting in silence may 
seem a little strange to those unaccustomed to the 
work, but it has been the practice of the religious 
Society of which I have the privilege of being a 
member, from its earliest rise, to wait upon the Lord 
for the influence of the Holy Spirit; to be taught 
by the great Teacher of His people, Christ Jesus, 
the minister of the sanctuary and of the true taber- 
nacle, ^ which the Lord pitched and not man.^ I 
had to tell them that there is no alteration in the 
Christian life ; it is a continual warfare, but with the 
spiritual weapons of burning and fuel of fire, which, 
if patiently submitted to, would purify and prepare 
us for an incorruptible and never-fading inheritance. 
The universality of Divine Grace was freely spoken 
of, and the necessity of watchfulness and prayer urged 
with earnestness, even unto ' praying always, with all 
prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching 
thereunto with all perseverance.^ The dear young 
people were tenderly invited to seek after that know- 
ledge which is life eternal ; to ' commune with their 
own hearts and be still.^ I wanted them to witness 
the gospel to be glad tidings of great joy to them- 
selves, not a mere outward declaration of good things 
to come, but ^ the power of God unto salvation,^ to 
every one of them. Meekness and lowliness, those 



196 VISIT TO 

heavenly virtues^ and first principles of the religion 
of Jesus^ which characterize the Christian — taught 
by Him^ and which all must learn of Him — were 
exalted ; while pride and arrogance, and other con- 
comitant evils, were trampled under foot. None 
could be insensible to the weight of solemnity which 
prevailed, and I had to acknowledge the condescend- 
ing mercy of that Almighty power which was pleased 
to own the work, and also to appeal to those present 
as witnesses to the circulation of that ' life ^ which is 
^ the light of men/'' 

At another time, the queen and^ all the principal 
authorities of the island, as well as that of Tahiti, 
were present; when D. Wheeler felt called upon 
plainly to present the evils that would result from 
the use of strong drink. He told them it was in 
their power to resist the temptation ; for no temptar 
tation will be permitted to assail without a way being 
made for our escape. "Draw nigh unto God, and 
He will draw nigh unto you; resist the devil, and 
he will flee from you.'' Some of the people were 
offended, and left, but those in authority remained. 
Paofai, one of the principal chiefs, said afterwards 
that he " hoped I would go to Britain, and beg the 
people to have mercy upon them ; and then go to 
America, and beg the people there also to have 
mercy upon them, because it was those countries 
that sent the poison amongst them." A fact not 
less true than lamentable. 

A closing meeting was held with the missionary 
families, which is thus noticed: "After the silence 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 197 

was broken into with a short remark, I told them 
there might not be many words, but the desire of 
my heart was that we might be sensible of the 
power which was before words were, and would re- 
main when words shall be no more ; for words shall 
cease, and declarations come to an end, but the 
^Word of our God shall stand for ever/ I had to 
urge the necessity of seeking to know for ourselves 
the Divine Will, and then to do it : that this was the 
great business of life, etc. But knowledge only makes 
our condemnation greater, without obedience keeps 
pace with it ; and truly this knowledge can never be 
attained in the noise and bustle, and mixture of this 
world ; nor while we are living in conformity there- 
with, or conformed thereto. Nor can we expect to 
be entrusted with such great knowledge as the will 
of God, whilst in a carnal, unrenewed state of mind, 
according to the testimony of the apostle to the 
Romans, when beseeching his brethren, ^by the 
mercies of God, to present their bodies a living 
sacrifice, *holy, acceptable unto God, as their rea- 
sonable service.' And ^be not conformed to this 
world,' said he, ^but be ye transformed by the re- 
newing of your mind, that ye may prove what is 
that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.' 
I had to declare the blessed state of the inhabitants 
of Mount Zion, where every one appeareth before 
God : they go from strength to strength : God is in 
the midst of her : she can never be moved : ^ He is 
known in her palaces for a refuge.' The stream of 
gospel love flowed freely and largely to all present, 
17* 



X98 VISIT TO 

and great was tlie solemnity that prevailed over us ; 
such was the condescending mercy and loving-kind- 
ness of the Lord to His poor unworthy creatures. 
We then took leave of the whole^ not expecting to 
visit them again, and returned on board to dinner, 
under feelings of gratitude and thankfulness, and in 
peaceful serenity of mind, not conscious of having 
any farther service to attend to in this island/^ 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 199 



CHAPTER VI. 

HUAHINE — INVITATION FROM MAUIUI — MEETING WITH THE 
AUTHORITIES — RAIATEA — BOLABOLA — SANDWICH ISLANDS 

— OAHU — NATIVE MEETING — THE QUEEN's PRESENT 

MEMORABLE MEETING FOR WORSHIP — MISSIONARY SCHOOL. 

HuAHiNE was the next island visited, where they 
were affectionately received by the missionary, Charles 
Barff. The journal states: ^^ Tenth month, 18th. 
(^First day,') Last evening my certificates in the 
Polynesian language were handed to Charles Barff, 
to read at the native meeting this morning, if nothing 
should prevent my attendance. May the Lord be 
pleased to exalt His ever excellent name, and mag- 
nify His power amongst us, until the blessed Truth 
shall rise into dominion, and reign over all, to His 
glory. 

Tenth month, 22d. Soon in the morning received 
a few lines from Charles Barff, accompanying a trans- 
lated copy of a note, with the original, from Mauiui, 
our pilot through the reef, as follows : 

^ As I know not the names of you two gentlemen, 
I address you thus generally. 

Dear Friends. — All peace to you after living 
through the waves all the way to Tahiti: This is 
my little word, that I desire you two to agree to. 



200 VISIT TO 

Compassionate me, and come to my little dinner, 
about one or two of tlie day — a little friendly 
meeting. 

May you two be saved by Jehovah, 

Mauiui/ 

An answer was returned to Charles BarJ0P, that, 
rather than disappoint the intended kindness of 
Mauiui, we purposed accepting the invitation. It 
being Fifth day^ we sat down together to wait upon 
the Lord. As regards myself, I thought I was sen- 
sible of something like a renewal of strength to 
struggle against the infirmities of the flesh, in draw- 
ing nigh to the everlasting fountain. About the 
time fixed, repaired to Mauiui's house, and found 
the company assembled, consisting of the lawful 
queen of the island and her husband, the young 
queen, Maihara (who is to have full possession of 
the island next week), and her husband, brother to 
the husband of Pomare, the queen of Tahiti; Ma- 
hine, the governing chief, and his wife, and the two 
chiefs next in rank upon the island, and their 
wives; the king of Eaiatea's eldest daughter, and 
several younger branches of the chief families. A 
plentiful supply of provisions was set before us, with 
a variety of vegetables. Yams, plantains, sweet pota- 
toes, bread-fruit, taro, etc. ; cocoa-nut milk, sweetened 
lime-juice and water, and plain water, were the beve- 
rages made use of. The company appeared upon the 
same level; no distinction of persons was visibla 
Harmony and good-will were the prevalent feeUngs 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 201 

throughout. The host and his wife waited upon 
their guests with much dehght and unwearied atten- 
tion. It was afterwards ascertained that this female 
had been brought up in the family of Charles Barff. 

23d. The authorities of this island are in the prac- 
tice of occasionally meeting together, and they usually 
solicit the company of strangers that may be among 
them, taking care to fix the day for collecting when 
these can attend. Several days ago we were informed 
that such a meeting was in contemplation, and to-day 
being agreed upon for holding it, Charles and myself 
were requested to attend. 

The children were collected in the forenoon at the 
meeting-house, and afterwards formed no insignificant 
part of the guests at the dinner-tables. We dined 
out of doors, under the shade of large trees adjoin- 
ing the queen's apartments. More than one thou- 
sand persons were present, including lookers-on, and 
the festival altogether was highly interesting. 

The company was exhorted by several of the 
principal speakers, and the dear children were again 
and again reminded of the privileges enjoyed by 
these islands in their day and generation. They 
were told that, in the days of superstition and idola- 
try, many of them would have been offered as human 
sacrifices; that some of the boys might have been 
permitted to live, if their parents were of high rank, 
but the girls were often sacrificed, and many of the 
boys thus preserved would be afterwards killed, being 
kept only for the purposes of war. But now look 
round (said one of these orators) at the comforts and 



202 VISIT TO 

blessings we enjoy; and how did they all come, but 
by the introduction of Christianity amongst us ? It 
was all the goodness^ and mercy, and love of Jeho- 
vah, in sending the gospel among us. Several of 
these speakers, on beginning, addressed themselves 
to us, in terms of welcome and approbation. One 
said (alluding to myself), ^Your address to us last 
Sabbath day in the chapel astonished us ; I thought 
you had got the Bible in your head. We are happy 
to have a teacher come among us; then we have two 
teachers, one within, and one without. You told us 
that a mere outward profession of religion was no- 
thing; that it would not benefit us. The Holy Spirit 
of the Messiah in the heart is what we must learn to 
be acquainted with, and that all the work is within 
ourselves,^ etc. He said : ' We have formerly been 
a very wicked people; our island has been worse 
than any other island in these seas. Captain Cook 
said so : he found us so : we were the greatest 
thieves he met with. Captain Cook shot several of 
us ; and if we had provoked him farther, he would 
have shot more of us. But your visit to us is not 
like his ; yo.urs is in love to our souls,' etc. In this 
manner the time was occupied for the space of two 
hours, when a hymn was sung, and afterwards a 
short prayer made by one of the chiefs, when the 
company dispersed with as much order and quietness 
as the breaking up of a Friends' meeting in England. 
I could have said on the spot, ^ It is good for us to 
be here,' for the love of the blessed Master flowed 
through my heart, and softened the creature, as into 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 203 

clay fit for the potter's use. It was at this island 
that Captain Cook caused the ears of several of the 
natives to be cut of, for committing petty thefts on 
board the ships, and in other respects used them 
very cruelly/^ 

On the 30th they made all sail for Eaiatea. On 
this island a meeting was held which numbered up- 
wards of a thousand. This was the most attentive 
audience they had yet assembled with. The solemni- 
zing power of Truth reigned over all. It closed in 
great quietness, and the people crowded round to 
shake hands. The strangers were invited to partake 
of a dinner, at which some of the best speakers 
among the natives enlarged in an impressive man- 
ner upon the privileges they now enjoyed, contrast- 
ing their present state with the time when heathen- 
ism reigned unmolested. The following week they 
left for the island of Bolabola. Here the people 
had, through yielding to the habit of intoxication, 
mostly relapsed into their former idolatrous and 
licentious practices. A meeting was held with some 
of the most abandoned, in which they were exhorted 
" to let the Lord God be their fear, and let Him be 
their dread.'' These wild, thoughtless people were 
attentive ; their haughty and airy looks were changed 
into those of serious though tfulness, by that Almighty 
Power which controlleth the hearts of all men. The 
poverty and wretchedness which was seen among the 
children and parents deeply affected Daniel Wheeler, 
his errand being in that love which called sinners to 
repentance, and sought their salvation. ^^ I can never/^ 



204 VISIT TO 

lie says, ^^ forget the abject, wretched state of these 
people, with scarcely rags to cover them, in want of 
every thing, and possessing nothing to purchase any 
thing with, their little property being consumed in 
order to obtain spirits; the famished appearance, 
also, of the more than half-naked children who 
abound, will long retain a place in my memory, in 
that love which must ever intercede in behalf, and 
plead the cause, of suffering humanity. The little 
things used to come on board to us ; and when on 
shore, we were surrounded in a few minutes by de- 
lighted groups of them. My heart often revisits 
Bolabola, and gladly would I bind up her wretched 
inhabitants in the Lord's bundle of life for ever.^^ 

Their course was now directed to the Sandwich 
Islands. After a stormy passage of about six weeks, 
they arrived at Oahu, and anchored in the harbour 
of Honolulu on the 26th of Twelfth month. On 
these islands the missionaries are exclusively from 
the American Board of Missions. A cordial invita- 
tion was at once extended by Hiram Bingham, the 
senior missionary, who came on board. By arrange- 
ment, a meeting was held on the following First day 
at the native place of worship, which proved a me- 
morable occasion. His certificates having been first 
read and explained to the people, a solemn silence 
prevailed. Daniel Wheeler then rose and said : ^^ It 
is more than probable that the greater part of the 
company now assembled never before heard of the 
existence of a Society under the denomination of 
Friends (alluding to my certificates); but; my be- 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 205 

loved people, all such as love the Lord Jesus Christ, 
and keep His commandments, are friends — friends 
universally to God, friends to one another, and friends 
to all mankind. ^Ye are my friends,' said Christ, 
' if ye do whatsoever I command you.' All such are 
members of the same society, the world over. Then, 
charging the people to endeavour to draw nigh unto 
God, that, under the sanctifying influence of His 
power and life-giving presence, our meeting together 
might be rendered a blessing, I was largely opened 
to declare the everlasting Truth amongst them, and 
to turn them to its light in their own hearts; to the 
Holy Spirit of Him who is ^the true light that 
lighteth every man that cometh into the world,' in 
whom only there is life, and who is the only way to 
God the Father, as declared by Himself : ' I am the 
way, the truth, and the life ; no man cometh to the 
Father but by me.' That a mere outward profession 
of religion would prove altogether unavailing to them : 
the great work of regeneration must be witnessed : 
that, to be members of the true Church, they must 
be redeemed with judgment from sin and from trans- 
gression, and be converted unto God by the right- 
eousness of Christ Jesus, believed in and submitted 
to through faith in the operation of the Spirit of 
God, who raised Him from the dead, with whom also 
they must be raised from death unto life. That we 
cannot worship God in the manner He requires while 
we continue in sin and wickedness, for the prayers 
of the wicked are not heard ; they cannot pray ac- 
ceptably in that state ; their sacrifice is an abomina- 
18 



206 VISIT TO 

tion. The true and living worshippers of the only 
true and living God are no longer dead in sins and 
trespasses; they are redeemed from these by the 
righteousness of Christ Jesus^ who came to save 
His people from their sins, and never in them. 
That we must fear God^ and in thought^ word^ and 
deed give glory unto Him, before we can worship 
Him in spirit and in truth. For considerably more 
than an hour my heart was enlarged in the flowings 
of gospel love, as a stream bearing down every thing 
before it. A more attentive audience can scarcely be 
conceived than certain classes of this people, both 
natives and foreigners. The Lord^s power had the 
dominion, and reigned pre-eminently until the break- 
ing up of the meeting. Every class and variety of 
the people flocked round us, scarcely affording us an 
opportunity of speaking to the members of the mis- 
sionary establishment. Some of the natives endea- 
voured to thank me through the medium of Hiram 
Bingham, but I requested him to refer such to the 
great Creator, and not to look at the creature. One 
said I had brought them a blessing. A number of 
serious-looking women came round us, whose counte- 
nances bespoke that love was in their hearts. Troops 
of the dear children gathered in their turn, and 
seemed delighted to find that they also might shake 
hands with the strangers : some of them would come 
again and again, until they found their faces were 
recoo:nized. We seemed to need more hands than 
we possessed, as frequent attempts would fail to shake 
hands with those that held theirs out to us, by others 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 207 

reaching forward and taking liold of ours before them, 
in quick succession/^ 

On New Year's day (First month, 1st, 1836) the 
friendly regard of the queen and her chiefs was 
manifested by a present, with the following letter : 

''Honolulu^ January \sty 1836. 
As an expression of friendly regard of Kinau and 
her associate chiefs to Mr. Wheeler, the friendly visi- 
tant, they beg his acceptance of a few supplies. They 
are the following : five barrels of potatoes, five tur- 
keys, five fowls, and one hog 

Na Kinau.^^ 

Finding upon inquiry that to refuse this present 
would create much dissatisfaction, because entirely 
intended as a good-will oflfering, the following ac- 
knowledgment was written and returned: 

^' Highly sensible of the kindness and hospitable 
intention, of Kinau, the governing chief of the Sand- 
wich Islands, and the constituted authorities of the 
same, I assure them of my Christian regard in the 
love of the everlasting gospel, which has induced me 
to visit these isles afar off. 

I feel and value this token of good will, in their 
act of generosity, and I do freely accept the supplies 
so gratuitously furnished. 

With best desires for their present and eternal 
welfare, and that of every age and every class over 



208 VISIT TO 

whom they preside, I am her and their sincere 
friend, 

Daniel Wheeler. 

^Henry Freeling^ in the harhour of 
Honolulu, First month, 1st, 1836. 

To KiNAU, the governing chief of the Sandwich 
Islands, etc.^^ 

Public notice having been given that a meeting 
for worship would be held after the manner of the 
Society of Friends, on the evening of the next First 
day, they landed to be in readiness. 

The journal states : " The time no sooner arrived, 
than the people poured in from every direction, and 
soon filled nearly all the seats ; some more were pro- 
vided, but many had to stand at the lower part of 
the house, in a crowded manner. The novelty of a 
^Quaker^s meeting,^ and the first ever held on a 
Sandwich Island, might induce many to come, out 
of curiosity, who at other times never think of 
attending a place of worship; and it is probable 
that the whole of the white residents were present, 
besides those who came from the shipping, and a 
considerable number of the natives and half-castes, 
with several of the highest authorities in the place ; 
so that the house was crowded, we were informed, as 
it had never been before. 

Sitting in silence seemed, perhaps, to nearly all 
that were there, quite incomprehensible. The fore- 
part of the time was unsettled by many whispering 
and talking, and an individual or two, not quite 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 209 

sober, were a little troublesome and annoying; but 
I think I have witnessed, in lands accounted civi- 
lized, a meeting, from one or other cause, quite as 
unsettled, though altogether free from those disad- 
vantages under which this was labouring. Having 
sat a considerable time in silence, after the meeting 
was fully gathered, it was with me to say, that, as 
the disciples formerly were incapable of feeding a 
hungry multitude, until the great Master had blessed 
and broken the bread, so it is at this day. Without 
Him we can do nothing as it should be done ; and it 
is only when He is pleased to qualify any of His 
servants to proclaim His Truth, that the people can 
be availingly benefited. ^Without me ye can do 
nothing,^ was our Lord^s declaration ; and true it is, 
for without Him we can do nothing, not even think 
a good thought, or restrain an evil one; the spirit 
truly is willing, but the flesh is weak. That the 
Society of which I have the privilege of being a 
member, has always borne a faithful testimony to 
the excellency of waiting upon the Lord, as the all- 
sufficient and only great and true Teacher of His 
people. After recommending that we should endea- 
vour to wait for the influence of the Holy Spirit to 
solemnize our minds together, I sat down. The 
meeting became much more settled after this had 
taken place, though doubtless the patience of many 
would be tried before the silence was again broken. 
When the time was come, I stood up with these ex- 
pressions : ^ I am no prophet, nor a prophet's son,' 
but in me you may behold a living monument of the 
18* 



210 VISIT TO 

Lord^s everlasting mercy; and altliongli in my own 
estimation less than the least child that is alive in 
the truth, yet to me, even unto me, is this grace 
given, that I should declare unto others the un- 
searchable riches of Christ. I have no sinister 
motive in thus coming among you; the comprehen- 
sive principle of the gospel, which would gather and 
embrace all mankind, enables me to call every coun- 
try my country, and every man my brother. It is 
this that has induced me to leave a delightful home, 
and a numerous and endeared family, and every 
thing beside which a mortal need possess, and more, 
to visit these ^ isles afar off;^ well knowing, that he 
that loseth his life for Christ's sake and His gospel, 
' the same shall find it.' I have no new doctrine to 
preach ; the way to the kingdom is the same that it 
ever was ; the foundation is the same, ^ Jesus Christ 
himself being the chief corner-stone;' ^for other 
foundation can no man lay than is laid.' But al- 
though the foundation be from everlasting to ever- 
lasting, yet if the superstructure is not raised upon 
it, what will it avail ? It is, then, of the greatest 
importance for each of us seriously to examine upon 
what we are really building our hope of salvation ; 
for a day of trial will come upon every man's work : 
the day will declare it, and the fire of the Lord will 
try of what sort it is, when nothing will stand and 
endure the trial but what is built upon the same 
sure, immutable foundation which the righteous in 
all ages and generations of the world have built 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 211 

upon^ even Christ Jesus the righteous, that tried 
corner-stone, elect of God, and precious indeed to 
them that believe and obey His gospel. I had 
largely to declare of the universality of Divine 
grace, that none are left short of a measure of it : 
it hath appeared unto all men, and its teaching, if 
regarded, would bring salvation to all men. That 
^a manifestation of the Spirit,' which is no other 
than ' the Spirit of grace,' is ^ given to every man 
to profit withal.' This precious gift was not limited 
to a few individual members of the Church only, 
but extended to all men universally: first when 
our Holy Redeemer had suffered without the gates 
of Jerusalem on Calvary's mount, ^He ascended 
up on high, led captivity captive, and received gifts 
for men' — not for an elect, chosen few only, to 
the exclusion of others, but ^ for the rebellious also, 
that the Lord might dwell among them,' as by Holy 
Writ declared. So that every man hath ^a mani- 
festation of the Spirit bestowed on him to profit 
withal,' however widely this Divine gift may be 
diversified in its operations, or its administrations 
may differ, it was obtained through the shedding of 
His blood, ^ who died for us and rose again ' — ' the 
just for the unjust, that He might bring us unto 
God.' All men have an opportunity of becoming 
members of the mystical body of Christ, the true 
Church, if but willing to turn to the light of the 
Holy Spirit of the Lord Jesus, that shineth in every 
heart ; ' the true light, that lighteth every man that 



212 VISIT TO 

cometli into the world/ Althoiigli many may think 
themselves dwelling securely, and spending their 
precious time, days without number, in dissipation, 
folly, and utter forgetfulness of God, rejoicing as in 
the days of thoughtless youth, yet they will be over- 
taken at last, when least expecting it, in the midst 
of their sinful course, and brought under judgment. 
^Rejoice, young man, in thy youth; and let thy 
heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth ; and walk 
in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine 
eyes ; but know thou, for all these things God will 
bring thee into judgment/ Ask the votaries of dis- 
sipation and folly, after a dark season of sinful plea- 
sures, or rather of wretchedness, if they have not 
felt horror, remorse, shame, and fear, the certain and 
constant attendants upon guilt, and which are nothing 
less than the strivings of the Holy Spirit, discovering 
unto them their deeds of death and darkness; and 
which, if attended to, would deliver them out of this 
miserable bondage of Satan, and lead them to the 
knowledge of the Holy Spirit of Him who is the 
life and light of men. It is true that this light 
would make manifest all their evil deeds ; it would 
set their sins in order before their guilty minds, in 
tenderest mercy and redeeming love, that they might 
forsake them and repent, return unto God, and live. 
But, alas ! how many turn away from these faithful 
reproofs of instruction, and join in fresh scenes of 
vice and wickedness, or, with large draughts of 
strong and poisonous drink, endeavour to smother 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 213 

and drown the voice of this heavenly witness against 
sin. But this light will search them out at last, 
although but for their condemnation. To those 
who turn inward to it, and are willing to bring their 
deeds to its shining, the exceeding sinfulness of sin 
will be discovered. That sorrow of heart will then 
be begotten, which never faileth to work true and 
unfeigned ' repentance toward God, and faith toward 
our Lord Jesus Christ.^ It was the desire of my 
heart that all might be encouraged to repent, return, 
and live, by embracing the means so mercifully and 
amply provided for the salvation of all mankind, in 
wondrous love and compassion. So great was the 
solemnity that continued to be spread over us, that 
I had to call the attention of the people to witness it 
for themselves, as beyond the reach and power of 
man to produce. The Lord alone was exalted; 
His own arm brought Him the victory and the 
praise.^' 

Great openness to attend religious meetings was 
manifested by the natives of Oahu. On one occa- 
sion, the number present was computed at upwards 
of four thousand. 

The reigning queen, Kinau, met Daniel Wheeler 
by appointment at Hiram Bingham^s. She was de- 
sirous of being instructed as to the best mode of 
government. She was commended to the principles 
of the gospel, as her best guide. The necessity of 
prohibiting altogether the use of ardent spirits was 
fully appreciated by her. 



214 VISIT TO 

" Second month, 26tli. To-day visited the school 
of half-white boys. As our calling was altogether 
unexpected, there could have been no contrivance 
whatever to show off to the best advantage. Sixteen 
boys were present: we heard them read, spell, and 
answer a variety of questions, and saw specimens of 
their writing. This school has been established rather 
more than three years, and although no great progress 
has been made by any of the scholars, yet when the 
habits in which they have been trained are consi- 
dered, and the baneful examples they are daily and 
almost hourly exposed to when at home, of drinking, 
swearing, gambling, and every evil that can well be 
conceived or imagined, it is only surprising that they 
are as they are. Several of the parents are grog- 
sellers and keepers of gambling-houses. Some of 
the children are the offspring of the principal inha- 
bitants, American or English, on the father's side, 
who live with native women, but unmarried. In 
point of intellect, these children are equal to any in 
the world, and some of them particularly quick and 
intelligent, but none more so than one true-born 
native boy, adopted by a white resident, from sup- 
posed motives of policy. On hearing them read 
some manuscript verses on ^a little boy that never 
told a lie,^ and ^a paper against committing sin,^ I 
perceived something gathering upon my mind, and 
told the master that I wished to say a few words 
before we separated, as we might never meet together 
again. I wished them fully to understand that the 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 215 

knowledge they were acquiring by the instruction 
aiForded, would be no benefit in reality, but render 
their condemnation greater, unless obedience kept 
pace with it; reviving the Saviour^s words, ^If ye 
know these things, happy are ye if ye do them/ 
That reading those verses on ^a little boy that 
never told a lie/ or those ^against committing sin,' 
even if they had them by heart, would be of no 
avail to them, if they gave way to telling lies, or to 
committing any other sin ; for ' Nothing that is un- 
clean, nothing that is impure, that worketh an abo- 
mination, or maketh a lie,' shall enter the kingdom 
of heaven. That the only way to escape falling 
into temptation, is at all times, as much as may be, 
to consider ourselves in the presence of Almighty 
Grod, who sees and knows all our actions, and the 
most secret thoughts of the heart, by his Holy 
Spirit, which searcheth all things, even the deep 
things of Grod; every imagination of our thoughts 
is known to Him; nothing can be hid. That some 
of them were old enough to know when they did 
wrong, either in telling untruths, or when in any 
other way they committed sin ; that they then felt 
uncomfortable and unhappy in themselves; that 
these are the reproofs of the Holy Spirit for sin 
and disobedience, and if attended to would lead to 
life, and to these I wished them to take heed. 
That the Lord loveth an early sacrifice; He de- 
lighteth to regard it. That they must have heard 
what the voice of wisdom saith in the Holy Scrip- 



216 VISIT TO 

tures: ^I love them tliat love me, and they that 
seek me early shall find me/ That they could 
not begin too soon to seek an acquaintance with the 
Lord's Holy Spirit in their hearts, that so they might 
become truly wise. That the great end and object 
of all teaching and all learning, should be to make 
wise unto salvation. The boys were very attentive, 
and behaved in a solid manner. "We remained 
until the school was dismissed, and then returned 
on board.^' 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 217 



CHAPTER VII. 

HAWAII — INTRODUCTORY LETTER — EMBARKATION OP MIS- 
SIONARIES A MARRIAGE GENERAL MEETING OF THE 

MISSIONARIES — LETTER FROM THE ANNUAL MEETING 

HERVEY ISLES — RORATOGNA — NATIVE MEETINGS — LET- 
TER FROM A YOUNG NATIVE. 

They sailed for Hawaii on the SOtli of Fourtli 
montlij and ancliored in Kakakahua bay, near the 
place where Captain Cook was killed in an affray 
with the natives, in 1778. 

" Fifth month, 4th. We landed in the forenoon, 
and ascended a steep more than two miles in length, 
and by places almost inaccessible. The great heat 
of the snn, reflected from a nearly black surface of 
volcanic rock, smooth and glassy, was almost insup- 
portable. The native boys and girls were very 
desirous to help me up the hill : some pulled me 
forward by the arms, and others pushing behind, 
contributed to lessen the fatigue : although this had 
a ludicrous appearance, I could not well reject their 
kindness. On reaching the mission-house, we were 
welcomed in a friendly manner by Cochran Forbes 
and his wife, who occupy this secluded habitation.^' 

Religious meetings were held in various parts of 
this interesting island, the missionaries doing all in 
their power to promote the object of Daniel Whee- 
19 



218 VISIT TO 

ler's visit. The following is a copy of one of the 
many letters of introduction sent by them from one 
station to another : 

'^Copy, dated April 23d, 1836. Rev. David B. 
Lyman, Titus Coan. 
Dear Brethren, 

Allow me the pleasure of introducing to you our 
friends, Daniel Wheeler, a minister of the gospel, 
of the Society of Friends, and his son Charles 
Wheeler, who, on an errand of benevolence to the 
dwellers on the isles of the Pacific, have visited this 
quarter, to co-operate in the work of our Master, in 
turning men from darkness to light, and from the 
power of Satan unto God. I have had the pleasure 
of interpreting repeatedly the warm, earnest, and 
evangelical appeals of Daniel Wheeler to our people, 
and presume you will feel it a pleasure to assist him 
in a similar way, for the 'furtherance of his object, 
and otherwise facilitating their intercourse with the 
chiefs and the people, and cheering their toil in a 
long and expensive voyage. 

Affectionately your brother, 

Hiram Bingham. 

Honolulu, Island Oahu,^' 

His exercise at one of the meetings held in Hawaii 
is thus described : " After the people were requested 
to settle down in stillness, and endeavour to draw 
nigh unto the Lord with humble reverence, I was 
strengthened to declare amongst them the way of 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 219 

life and salvation, in the word of the truth of the 
gospel, in the love of which my heart was greatly 
enlarged. Repentance toward God, and faith toward 
our Lord Jesus Christ, the only way to obtain for- 
giveness of sins that are past, and freedom from the 
thraldom of sin in future, were largely pointed out, 
and the light of the Holy Spirit of Christ Jesus, 
which shineth in every heart, as the only blessed 
medium by which this path is made manifest, by 
reason of the darkness which prevaileth in man, 
while held in a benighted, carnal, and unregenerate 
state, in bondage to the power of Satan, the prince 
of darkness. The burden which rested upon my 
mind was, that the people might be delivered from 
this power of darkness, and translated into the king- 
dom of the dear Son of God, through the shedding 
of whose precious blood our redemption is sealed, 
even forgiveness and remission of sins that are past, 
and an interest mercifully granted to us in that Holy 
Advocate, always present to plead with our Heavenly 
Father the weakness and infirmity of our nature, for 
the time to come, for all those who, in belief and 
obedience, are willing to come unto God by Him. 
Such, and such only, are turned ' from darkness to 
light, and from the power of Satan unto God,^ ' the 
judge of all, through the blood of Jesus Christ His 
Son, which cleanseth from all sin.' The meeting* 
was not so large, we were told, as at some other 
times, but the people were very attentive, and bowed 
down under the mighty hand of Him whose power 
reigned over all.'' 



220 VISIT TO 

Having offered to convey two missionary families 
in the ' Henry Freeling ^ on their way to the Annual 
Meeting, Daniel Wheeler says : " We witnessed last 
evening a scene, in the embarkation of the two mis- 
sionary families, both affecting and highly interest- 
ing. As the moment for their leaving their habita- 
tions approached, the natives crowded into their 
houses to take leave of them. As the train pro- 
ceeded towards the beach, the company increased to 
a large number, perhaps hundreds. When arrived 
at the edge of the cliff, there was a solemn pause, 
and a prayer was eventually offered up by D. B. 
Lyman ; after which, the final separation took place. 
The people seemed to consider us also as their friends, 
about to leave them, and extended their good wishes, 
shaking hands very freely as we retired to the boat. 
Some of them assisted us to launch into the surf, 
and, I have no hesitation in believing, would have 
risked their own lives to save ours. How different 
the present state of things to what they were when 
these shores were visited by the first navigators of the 
Pacific ; but what might the situation of the simple- 
hearted natives have been at this day, if only men 
of Christian principles had trod their soil, instead 
of the wicked and barbarous crews of our shipping, 
who have committed every possible excess and out- 
rage, shameful and brutal, upon these helpless island- 
ers, to the lasting disgrace and infamy of the white 
skin ! 

Soon after eight o^clock, a. m., the sea-breeze made 
its appearance, but, before setting in, a canoe came 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 221 

paddling off in great haste to reach the vessel with a 
couple who were desirous of being married before 
the departure of the missionaries from the coast; 
but having neglected to obtain the permission of 
the principal chiefess, this could not be accom- 
plished. There was no alternative but that of re- 
turning again to the shore^ about three miles off, to 
obtain the needful sanction; and having been told 
that we should not wait for them if the wind should 
spring up in our favour, they paddled off again with 
all the speed in their power. Before the wind was 
strong enough to warrant the risk of getting under 
weigh and clearing the reef, this canoe was seen 
again returning to the vessel from the shore. They 
would gladly have been married in their canoe, but 
the motion was so violent that the parties could not 
possibly stand upright while the missionary performed 
the usual ceremony. They were then taken on board, 
and, to make it easy to both parties, were brought 
down into the cabin, where the rite was performed 
by one of the missionaries demanding answers to 
several important questions, and the other offered up 
a prayer. The captain, mate, and ourselves were wit- 
nesses of this curious exhibition, the vessel rolling 
about in such a manner that they were forced to hold 
themselves by the table and each other when they 
stood upon their feet; they were both so drenched 
by the sea that had washed into the canoe, that 
measures were necessary to clear the cabin floor from 
the quantity of water upon it, after the ceremony 
was concluded. I felt a degree of satisfaction at 
19* 



222 VISIT TO 

•what had transpired^ and, to myself^ our detention 
last evening was accounted for. Nothing short of a 
fear (let in by some on board) of losing the vessel 
upon the reef, would have induced a willingness to 
anchor for the night, to avoid the apparent danger 
that seemed to threaten. There was a fresh breeze 
about midnight, but from the quarter it blew the risk 
was too great to make it available, from our nearness 
to the reef at the time. On looking over all the cir- 
cumstances of the case, there seemed a providence in 
it, that these poor people might be saved the tempta- 
tion of violating the laws of their country by an 
illegal procedure, without waiting the return of the 
missionaries, which might be most of two months. 
A marriage thus consummated upon the mighty 
waters is not an every-day transaction, and espe- 
cially, as I humbly trust it may be said, in a place 
of worship, which the cabin of the ' Henry Free- 
ling^ has been in many instances, as well as a place 
of prayer and praise, from wherlce the spiritual 
sacrifice has, we hope, at times acceptably ascended 
unto Grod through Jesus Christ, though we be as 
nothing in His sight, and in our own, utterly un- 
worthy of the least of all His tender mercies.^' 

Touching at the island of Maui, and taking on 
board another missionary family, they arrived on the 
21st of Fifth month at Oahu, where the Annual 
Meeting of the missionaries was to be held. Daniel 
Wheeler believed he should not fully discharge his 
religious duty without requesting an opportunity to 
meet them as a collected body, and mentioned the 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 223 

subject to the senior missionary. The request was 
immediately granted^ and a time appointed. At the 
hour named^ Hiram Bingham accompanied them to 
the meeting. The following is the account given by 
D. W. of the opportunity : ^^ I was shown into the 
moderator's seat^ and the company was soon gathered 
together. After some time in silence, it was with me 
simply to state, that, on leaving Honolulu a few weeks 
ago, I had no expectation of returning to it again; 
but some time afterwards I found that I should not 
be clear of these parts without endeavouring to see 
the whole of the missionary establishment in its col- 
lected capacity. At that time it seemed difficult to 
comprehend how it would be brought about, but I 
felt a willingness and resignation on my part towards 
its accomplishment: He that causeth His wind to 
blow, and the waters flow, directed our steps and 
brought it to pass. As it is probable (I continued) 
that all are present that will be on the occasion, I 
would suggest that we now endeavour to sink down 
in humble reverence of soul before Hhe Judge of 
all the earth,^ to wait for the counsel of His will; 
and, if graciously favoured therewith, endeavour to 
do it, to His praise and to His glory. The meeting 
then settled down in silence, and remained for a 
considerable time under a solemn covering, until I 
had to speak of the order in the church of Christ, 
and of the preparation of heart which every mem- 
ber must pass through by the operation of the Holy 
Spirit, before he can become a part of this glorious 
body, that is without spot or wrinkle ; and the ne- 



224 VISIT TO 

cessity of our individually knowing for ourselves tlie 
hope of our liigli and holy calling. It was afterwards 
with me to state, the opportunity I had had of seeing 
them in their different, distant, solitary, and secluded 
allotments, and of witnessing their patient endeavours 
to promote the work in which they were engaged. 
Having myself dwelt amongst those whose language 
I could not understand, I was the better able to 
feel for them on this account with brotherly sym- 
pathy; an.d I was no stranger to the many obstacles 
thrown in their way, and the numerous difficulties 
that they had to encounter; but their only refuge 
was Christ Jesus the Lord; if He was with them, 
they had nothing to fear, though Hhe heathen 
should rage, and the people imagine a vain thing, 
the kings of the earth set themselves, and the 
rulers take counsel together against the Lord, and 
against His anointed/ ' He that sitteth in the hea- 
vens shall laugh : the Lord shall have them in deri- 
sion/ I had no desire to discourage any, but while 
beholding the vast importance of the work they had 
taken in hand, I was ready to tremble at the awful 
weight of the responsibility which rested upon them. 
It was not for me to judge whether they had been 
called and chosen for the work, or not. I knew that 
our Lord had declared : ' This gospel of the kingdom 
shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto 
all nations; and then shall the end come.^ Their 
being called or not called to the work, rested with 
themselves. But there is a possibility for a man to 
have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge ; 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 225 

and while earnestly endeavouring to lend a hand of 
help to others, he may be neglecting the all-important 
duty of coming to the knowledge of the Lord for 
himself. I believed that many of them were truly 
and earnestly desirous to know the Lord for them- 
selves, and I wished to encourage such to follow on 
to know Him, to seek Him, and not to rest contented 
until they found Him who said, ^ Seek and ye shall 
find.^ ' The Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly 
come to His temple, even the messenger of the 
covenant, whom ye delight in : behold. He shall 
come, saith the Lord of Hosts. But who may abide 
the day of His coming, and who shall stand when 
He appeareth V Nothing that is of man, or in man, 
that is earthly, sensual, or unclean, can stand before 
Him : the heart must be cleansed and purified from 
every thing that defileth, before it can become the 
temple of a holy, pure, and just God; and none is 
sufficient for these things but He unto whom all 
power in heaven and earth is given, who, the pro- 
phet declares, is ^ like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's 
soap, and He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of 
silver.^ This heart-searching process we must all 
pass through and witness ; and by yielding in meek- 
ness and submission to the baptizing operation thereof, 
we shall in due time be given to know and to feel it 
to be the ' messenger to prepare the way of the Lord ' 
before Him, who will not dwell in the defiled temple 
of an unclean heart. This ordeal all have to pass 
through in a greater or smaller degree, before they 
come to that knowledge which is ' life eternal,' even 



226 VISIT TO 

the knowledge of 'the only true God, and Jesus 
Christ, whom He hath sent;^ who once visited the 
earth in a body that was prepared for Him, but who 
now visiteth by His Holy Spirit the heart of man ; 
who is indeed the heavenly messenger of the cove- 
nant to all that seek Him, and delight in Him, and 
whose coming is sure, because the Lord hath pro- 
mised. But to those who are called and chosen to 
speak to others in the name of the Lord, and to 
proclaim the glad tidings of that gospel which 4s 
the power of God unto salvation, to every one that 
believeth,' a larger portion of the Refiner's fire^ is 
often needful, to purge them as gold and silver, and 
prepare them for the great work of declaring ^ the 
truth as it is in Jesus,^ from their own blessed and 
sensible experience. Just in proportion as the Lord's 
messengers are qualified and taught of Him, when 
commissioned to go forth in His name, may we 
expect that the people will be benefited : if our 
eyes are not first opened, vain is the attempt to open 
the eyes of the blind, and turn them from darkness 
to light. I was largely drawn forth to speak of the 
vast importance of the work in which they had en- 
gaged, and to arouse them to a sense of the responsi- 
bility it involved, recommending them to take counsel 
of the Holy Spirit of the Lord Jesus, for the same 
shall judge us at the last day. I had much to express 
to them in great plainness of speech, under the over- 
shadowing power of that love which maketh not 
afraid — reminding them of the many blessed sea- 
sons we had been permitted to witness together, on 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 22T 

the different islands, when the Divine presence was 
as a crown and diadem over those large assemblies 
of the people. In the course of time, that ' faith 
which works by love/ and the true supper of the 
Lord, were largely held up to their view. 

When on the point of leaving the harbour of 
Honolulu, at Oahu, when there could be no farther 
communication between us and the parties concerned, 
a letter was received from the General Meeting of the 
American Mission, signed by all the members, of 
which the following is a copy. I have subjoined it 
for the perusal of my dear friends, trusting that 
they will not permit its contents to transpire into 
improper channels : 

Copi/, dated Honolulu, June IQih, 1836. 

Daniel Wheeler, 
Dear friend. 
We, the missionaries of the Sandwich Islands, feel 
ourselves happy to have the opportunity of recipro- 
cating the kindness and sympathy which you and 
our young friend, your esteemed son Charles Whee- 
ler, have manifested to us and our families during 
the period of five and a half months, while you have 
sojourned and laboured with us. We have hailed 
your arrival in this country with gladness, and wel- 
comed your visit to our stations with much pleasure. 
We have read your credentials from York and Lon- 
don with care, and have been cheered by the Chris- 
tian spirit which they breathe. We have been re- 
freshed by your interesting account of the origin and 



228 VISIT TO 

progress of your enterprise^ and by your earnest and 
repeated evangelical appeals to our people. You have 
seen with what readiness of mind we have interpreted 
your discourses to the people, and endeavoured to 
facilitate your work. And we now tender you our 
thanks for your kind co-operation in our work, with 
which you have been enabled, by the great Head of 
the Church, to favour us. Your design to preach 
^the unsearchable riches of Christ' in the isles and 
on the shores of this great ocean, for an indefinite 
but protracted period, at such a remove from the 
comforts of home and all you held dear on earth, 
must, we are aware (for we are acquainted with the 
nature of the service), be attended with sacrifices^ 
toils, and cares, in which none but the Divine arm 
can sustain you. But this arm Divine has thus far 
sustained you. For this we would unite with you in 
thanksgiving Ho the Father of lights, from whom 
cometh down every good and perfect gift ; ' and with 
you would we rejoice in the assurance that it will 
sustain you still. Take courage, dear friend, and go 
on with your good work. Do what is in your power 
to pour the light of the sun of righteousness upon 
the people which sit in darkness, upon the tribes on 
whom the star-light of nature nightly shines, and 
upon the isles over which the day-star of grace has 
arisen. Accompanied and aided by your own beloved 
son, sustained and guided by the adorable Spirit of 
God, may you be enabled to do much to dry the foun- 
tain of intemperance and licentiousness which threaten 
such desolations in every quarter of the globe, and to 
hasten the universal difiusion of revealed Truth. 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 229 

We bid you God speedy while you proclaim to perish- 
ing men the glad tidings of salvation through a cru- 
cified and exalted Saviour ; while with self-sacrifice 
and devotedness to Christ you labour ' to turn men 
from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan 
unto God/ Pray for us, that we may be found faith- 
ful in this work, and that the gospel may have free 
course and be glorified. And now, as you are con- 
vinced that our Master calls you to leave us to prose- 
cute the service you have to perform for Him in other 
isles and coasts, we bid you and your son an affection- 
ate farewell, and part with you as with valued friends 
whom we hope to meet in peace, when the sacrifices, 
and toils, and trials of a missionary life are ended. 
^The Lord bless thee and keep thee. The Lord 
make His face to shine upon thee, and be gracious 
unto thee. The Lord lift up His countenance upon 
thee, and give thee peace. Not unto us, but to God 
be the glory .^ Your affectionate friends, 

(Signed) 
Asa Thurston, Sheldon Dibble, 

Hiram Bingham, Titus Coan, 

Samuel Whitney, Henry H. Hitchcock, 

William Kichards, John S. Emerson, 

Levi Chamberlain, David B. Lyman, 

Artemas Bishop, Ephratm Spalding, 

LoRRiN Andrews, Richard Armstrong, 

John Smith Green, Cochraine Forbes, 

Peter J. Gulick, Wm. P. Alexander, 

Ephraim Weston Clarke, Edmund H. Rogers, 
Gerrit p. Judd, Lowel Smith, 

Dwight Baldwin Benj. W. Parker, 

Reuben Tinker, Edwin 0. Hall." 

Henry Dimond, 

20 



230 VISIT TO 

Extract from a letter written about this time to a 
friend in England : " Time would fail me to tell of 
the everlasting mercy and compassion that have been 
extended to us-ward, in that love which hath com- 
passed about as with a shield during our recent ope- 
rations in dangerous bays and roadsteads^ Iji^g open, 
within a very few points of the compass, to the whole 
beat of the Pacific. In most of these places, we 
have had to land amidst a breaking surf, sometimes 
in our own boat, and at others in canoes, which, 
when managed by the natives, are by far the safer, 
although subject to frequent drenchings from the 
sea. 

I brought with me from London, as recommended 
by a dear friend, a patent water-proof belt or life- 
preserver, made by 3Iacintosh of Cheapside; but 
I have been ashamed to make use of it on any one 
occasion, and, when we have been going to land, I 
have uniformly left it on board the vessel. How 
could I now begin to doubt the loving-kindness of 
Him whose goodness hath followed me all my life 
long, and dare to distrust that never-failing arm of 
strength that hath been so often and eminently 
stretched forth for my preservation, by night and 
by day, by sea and land, amongst strangers and 
foreigners, where no man cared for my soul, — in 
cold and heat, — in hunger, thirst, and weariness, — 
amid the din of arms, the noisome pestilence, and 
the destruction that wasteth at noon-day! — how 
often, from boyhood to the present day, have I been 
sheltered from the rage of the angry tempest! — • 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 231 

and liow was I supported in the iron grasp of afflic- 
tion, when, week after week, tidings of family dis- 
tress assailed me, without the power to lend a hand 
of help — the parent stock smitten and removed, and 
the branches withering ! And after all this, shall 
I now, when old and grey-headed, begin to doubt the 
heavenly Source of help, that still strengthens me to 
proclaim the unsearchable riches of His love to the 
tribes which inhabit His possessions in these utter- 
most parts of the earth ; when the feelings of decay- 
ing nature are lost sight of, and the inner man 
strengthened by the might of the Lord's glorious 
power and sensible presence, to my humble admira- 
tion ? ' To whom shall we go,' when He only hath 
the words of eternal life — to whom all power in 
heaven and earth is given ? '^ 

From Honolulu they sailed to the Hervey Isles, 
again crossing the equator. Arriving at Eoratogna, 
they landed on the 2d of the Eighth month, accom- 
panied by Charles Pitman, the resident missionary, 
who had come on board to greet them. 

" As we drew nigh the strand, it became densely 
covered with an innumerable host of children, who 
at once hailed us as their friends : it was with diffi- 
culty that we could pass along for them, as these 
delighted little naked fellows completely choked up 
the avenue, through a grove of bananas, which leads 
to the mission-house, struggling who should first get 
hold of our hands ; and if but a finger could be laid 
hold of, it seemed quite to satisfy them. This banana 
grove was of Charles Pitman's own planting. Soon 



232 VISIT TO 

after reaching tlie house, the floor was studded over 
with natives squatted on every side, the elders of the 
people coming forward to salute us, and welcome us 
to their island. After some consideration and inquiry 
had taken place, it was concluded that the people 
should be generally convened to-morrow morning in 
that district, and a meeting held at eleven o'clock, 
A. M. The afternoon, towards sun-down, would have 
been preferred on some accounts, but this would un- 
avoidably have thrown us into the dark, and thereby 
rendered our return to the ^ Henry Freeling^ doubly 
hazardous. After partaking of some simple refresh- 
ment, we looked round the village of Gnatagnia, and 
then prepared to return to our vessel. When leaving 
her in the morning, we took with us an English 
union-jack, for the purpose of hoisting upon a lofty 
bamboo, or cocoa-nut tree, as a signal for Captain 
Keen to stand in as close to the reefs as was prudent, 
on seeing this flag displayed upon the shore, to save 
the labour of the people in the boat, and to afibrd us 
every chance of smooth water. When this flag was 
put up, we were told that it was the first time the 
English flag had been planted upon the island of 
Koratogna : very peaceable possession had been taken 
of the island on the occasion, at any rate, and one 
in which a most cordial reception was strongly 
evinced, in a degree of that love which casteth 
out fear from every breast, and makes every man 
a brother. We were favoured to get well on board, 
and then purchased a few fowls and vegetables 
of the native crew, more with a view to please^ 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 283 

than from a want of fresh provisions; etc. on our 
part/' 

Visiting the mission schools on this island, they 
found them large and flourishing. They had the 
Scriptures in the native tongue, from which the 
children were instructed. A meeting was held with 
the natives at the close of the school, at which up- 
wards of two thousand were present. After the cer- 
tilicates of D. Wheeler were read, he says : " It was 
with me to turn the attention of the gazing islanders 
to the ^ God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,' 
that the great object of our thus being permitted to 
assemble together might be fully realized and ful- 
filled, and the blessing which prevailed to the utmost 
bound of the everlasting hills might rest upon us. 
After this, I had largely to declare the things which 
belong unto their peace, and to turn them to the 
' Lamb of God which taketh away the sift of the 
world,' — that they might know Him to be so indeed 
from blessed reality, by believing in the light of the 
Holy Spirit which shineth in every heart, as a light 
in a dark place ; that, by believing in this light, and 
taking heed thereunto, they would be made sensible 
of the darkness of their own hearts, and the exceed- 
ing sinfulness of sin would be plainly set before them, 
until that sorrow would be begotten which worketh 
repentance, never to be repented of, because the sal- 
vation of the soul is its end. It was for this the 
Saviour died, that mankind might no longer walk in 
darkness, but in the light of life ; that as sin hath 
heretofore reigned in us unto death^ so now might 
20* 



234 VISIT TO 

grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life^ 
by Jesus Christ our Lord. It was a solemn season ; 
the power of the Lord reigned over all^ and His own 
works rendered living praises unto Him and the Son 
of His love. After the meeting broke up, some time 
was occupied in noticing the people, who remained in 
crowds about us. 

Eighth month, 7th. (^First day?) After breakfast 
this morning, the Bible was laid before me, accord- 
ing to the usual practice of giving preference to the 
stranger, who at once undertakes to read a chapter, 
and afterwards to go forward with a prayer. When 
I had finished reading, we remained in silence. I 
had a secret hope this circumstance might lead into 
serious consideration, at a future day, as to the prac- 
tice of Friends on these occasions. 

The time of the native meeting now drew nigh, at 
the thoughts of which my mind was greatly humbled 
and cast down ; and yet I felt a sustaining confidence 
that my being here was in the right ordering ; for 
if my own inclination could have been gratified and 
followed, we should have been this morning out of 
sight of the island altogether. Charles Pitman might 
have observed my sunken condition, for, previously 
to setting out for the meeting, he seemed desirous to 
ascertain whether I should speak to the people or not. 
I told him this was Very uncertain, but, from the 
manner in which this thing had been brought about, 
which was certainly not in mine own will, it was by 
no means improbable but that I might have some- 
thing to say to them. The house was well filled 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 235 

when we reached it, and Charles Pitman at once 
ascended the pulpit, but I remained upon the ground- 
floor, as one having no part to take in the matter, 
and, I trust, in a state something similar to that 
of passive clay, willing to be any thing or nothing, 
to do or to suffer in secret with the suffering seed. 
Charles Pitman went on with the usual services, as 
if he had little expectation of any interference on 
my part, but when the second singing was concluded, 
the way seemed at once to open for my going to him. 
On my getting into the pulpit, such was my blank 
condition, that I told him we must proceed slowly, 
for I should have to look well for the stepping-stones 
to get along with safety. We stood some time in 
silence together, when my mouth was opened with 
our blessed Lord's declaration : ' There is joy in 
heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than 
over ninety and nine just persons that need no re- 
pentance.^ Such is the everlasting mercy and bound- 
less love of God to His creature man, that He will- 
eth not the death of a sinner, but rather that all 
should repent, forsake the evil of their ways, return 
unto Him, and live for ever. For this the Saviour 
came, not to condemn, but to save a guilty world. 
Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners 
from the wrath to come ; that we might have life, 
and that we might have it more abundantly. He 
purchased for poor, lost, finite man, the unspeakable 
gift of the Holy Spirit, by the sacrifice of Himself 
on the blood-stained cross, ^the just for the unjust, 
that He might bring us unto Grod,^ who ' so loved the 



236 VISIT TO 

world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that 
whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but 
have everlasting life/ But none can be benefited by 
the coming and sufferings of the Lord Jesus, with- 
out an implicit belief in Him. A mere belief in 
the outward fact of His coming in the flesh upon 
the earth, will not suffice.* How many, in this our 
day, fall short of coming to the knowledge of the 
only Hrue God and Jesus Christ, whom He hath 
sent, which is life eternal,' through an evil heart 
of unbelief! When the Saviour of men was per- 
sonally upon the earth, and men beheld His glory, 
as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace 
and truth, — His mighty works were few in some 
places, because of the unbelieving hearts of the 
people, and He had frequently to upbraid the doubt- 
ing, unbelieving multitude, for their hardness of 
heart; there were also found among His own disciples 
those that were slow of heart to believe respecting 
Him. ^ Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will 
not believe,' was His language on one occasion, ' but 
blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have 
believed.^ Great indeed was my desire that these 
simple-hearted islanders might not be faithless, but 
believing; that joy unspeakable, and full of glory, 
might be theirs. 

For about an hour and a half, I was drawn forth 
to plead with these dear people, in the love of the 
gospel, that they might be reconciled to God for 
Christ's sake, for their own souls' sake, and ours 
alsO; because of the truth as it is in Jesus. It was 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 23T 

Indeed a glorious meeting, and ought to be com- 
memorated with humblest gratitude and praise. 

My faithful interpreter was almost overcome with 
the sense of the working of the Lord's Almighty 
power. When the spring was closed up, he spoke 
to me in allusion to my having said, on first going 
into the pulpit, that ^ I should have to look well for 
the stepping-stones to get along with safety,' — say- 
ing, that he soon found I had got upon good ground, 
from the feelings he experienced ; but the sentence 
of death was mine ; and though I have truly nothing 
to boast of but weakness and infirmity, both of late 
much and evidently increased, yet how can I do less 
than cause the voice of the praise of my God to be 
heard, by faithfully testifying to that loving-kindness 
which is better than life : His work is honourable 
and glorious; His righteousness endureth for ever. 
I sat down in nothingness and weakness ; the crea- 
ture was laid in the dust, as one that owed unto his 
Lord far more than ' five hundred pence,' many times 
multiplied, and had nothing to pay with; self-con- 
victed, and as one to whom all which had been 
spoken most fully applied. Although the meeting 
had held long before I took any part in it, and was 
then prolonged to an unseasonable length, the people 
retained their seats, as if fearful of disturbing the 
covering which was permitted to overshadow us; 
and they continued in stillness after we came down 
upon the floor to them; but on my remarking to 
Charles Pitman that the people did not seem willing 



288 VISIT TO 

to go away, lie said a few sentences to them, after 
whicli they quietly withdrew. 

Upon this island we had the satisfaction to see 
a great increase of population : the children swarmed 
about its shores like bees, and I think Charles Pit- 
man said the schools are attended by 3000 of differ- 
ent ages and both sexes. The houses of the natives 
are mostly constructed with some degree of uniform- 
ity, neatly white-washed, with roads of broken shells 
made up to many of them for a public road for tra- 
velling upon, and the people seem to live generally 
in a state of enjoyment. The fruit and vegetables 
usually found upon the isles of the Pacific abound, 
as the island is like a well-watered hot-bed. The 
lofty mountains in its centre obstruct the passage of 
the clouds, and cause an abundant supply of rain. 
But what conduces most to the comfort and real 
happiness of the people, and causes an increasing 
population, is the circumstance of there being no 
good harbour for shipping ; they have, consequently, 
very slight intercourse with the English and Ameri- 
can^sailors, and are therefore free from that dreadful 
disease, the blasting influence of which is fast de- 
populating every other isle which our footsteps have 
traversed : to this truth may be added another ori- 
ginating in the same cause, — there is no rum-dealer 
upon the island; ardent spirit is a curse entailed 
upon most others by these scourges of the human 
race, either publicly or privately introduced by the 
shipping. 

Before leaving Roratogna, I received several letters 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 239 

from some of tlie most capable scholars in the school 
at Gnatagnia, which were literally translated to us ; 
one of which I subjoin as a specimen, which will 
suffice for the whole, as they are nearly in the same 
strain. It is from Tekori, a boy of about sixteen 
years of age: 

This is my speech to you, Daniel Wheeler — read 
it, that you may know great is our joy in seeing your 
face, and in knowing your speech of Grod^s great 
kindness to you. Attend, I will relate to you the 
coming of Grod^s word to us. We were heathens 
formerly — we did not know the living God Jehovah. 
At that time the devil was our God — we worshipped 
him, and did that which is agreeable to his will — 
that was our true condition formerly, Daniel Whee- 
ler. Attend, then arrived the season in which the 
word of the great God came to us — even of Jeho- 
vah, and the word of God spread among us in that 
season — still listen — God sent his servants to us, to 
inform us of the true way. Then the light sprung 
up in the midst of us. The word spoken by Isaiah, 
the prophet, was then fulfilled, chap. Ix. verse 1. 
'Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory 
of the Lord is risen upon thee.^ Behold, the light 
of Jehovah came to this land, and the light of Jeho- 
vah dawned upon us. Then the word of God spread 
on this land. The children know the word of God. 
Pitman taught us unweariedly, and in this likewise 
behold the love of God to us. Our friend and 
brother, Daniel Wheeler, I think of the kindness 



240 VISIT TO 

of Grod in conveying you from your land — from 
Britain. You have been directed by God to this 
land and that land — you have witnessed His loving- 
kindness — you have seen what has occurred in the 
deep — the mighty power of God. He will not for- 
sake those who put their trust in Him. Friend, 
when you go to visit this land, and that land, we 
will pray to God, that He may safely conduct you to 
the land whither you wish to go, and that He may 
carry you safely to your own land. Friend, now go, 
we have met — you have seen our face in Eoratogna, 
and we have seen your face. Observe, one thing yet 
remains. — When we shall be assembled with the 
word of God, of the blessed — in that world of joy, 
the good people of Britain will know those of Eora- 
togna, and the good people of Eoratogna will know 
those of Britain, and then will be known the true 
state of that land and this land. This is a little 
speech of compassion toward you — may you be pre- 
served in your voyaging. — And now, may the grace 
of God be granted to us — even so — Amen. 
From Tekori, that is all I have to say.'^ 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 241 



CHAPTER VIII. 

FRIENDLY ISLES — CAVERN AT OTEA — MEETING WITH THE 

MISSIONARIES — INTERESTING LETTER — NEW ZEALAND 

MEETING FOR WORSHIP — FAREWELL LETTER FROM THE 
MISSIONARIES — SIDNEY — HOB ART TOWN — RETURNS TO 
ENGLAND. 

Leaving Eoratogna, their course was directed to 
the Friendly Isles, distant about 1100 miles, where 
they arrived soon after the middle of the Eighth 
month. The same kind welcome was extended here 
by the missionaries, and the natives gladly heard the 
preaching of the gospel of life and salvation. They 
were instructed "that the Christian religion is a 
heartfelt work ; it is in the heart we must work out 
our own salvation with fear and trembling, through 
submission and obedience to the power of the Spirit 
of the Lord Jesus, which dwelleth in the contrite 
and humble heart, without respect of persons, or of 
the colour of the skin.^' In the island of Otea they 
visited a splendid cavern on the coast, into which 
they were rowed by the natives. " The great height 
of the vaulted arches above our heads, which are 
almost of Gothic shape, from which are suspended a 
variety of huge spiral masses of ponderous weight, 
apparently ready to fall — the amazing depth and 
clearness of the water under uS; together with the 
21 



242 VISIT TO 

dark and deep recesses, which could not be explored 
for want of a light, exhibited a sublime and magnifi- 
cent spectacle, and a specimen of those great and 
marvellous works incomprehensible to mortal man. 
Fish of large size swam about beneath us, without 
the least appearance of being disturbed by the boat, 
so great was the depth of water between us and 
them. In knocking off some of the spiral crags 
within our reach to bring away with us, the echo 
produced was alarming, and as if the whole roof was 
in danger of falling upon us/' 

The crews of the whaling vessels frequently met 
with at the different islands, continued to be the 
objects of Christian concern with D.Wheeler, who 
held meetings for them, and carefully furnished the 
vessels with good books and tracts, and copies of the 
Holy Scriptures. 

Before leaving the Friendly Isles, an opportunity 
occurred to meet with all the missionaries assembled 
at their General Conference. They sat down together 
in silence, after which D. Wheeler was drawn to ad- 
dress them, saying : '' Before we are in a state to be 
entrusted with the knowledge of the Divine will, the 
will of the creature must be laid low, and subjected 
to the will of the great Creator; our bodies must 
become living sacrifices, holy, acceptable to God; we 
must be altogether transformed, and our minds re- 
newed by the power of the Spirit of the Lord Jesus, 
believed in, and operating in us, ^ that we may prove 
what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of 
God/ as defined by the Apostle Paul to the Romans. 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 243 

Every tiling depends upon this knowledge ; to know 
tlie will of Grod^ in tlie first place, and then to do it. 
^ To obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than 
the fat of rams/ It is those only who do the will 
of the Father, that shall know of the doctrine 'of 
^ His well-beloved Son, in whom He is well pleased/ 

The whole of our Lord's precepts must be regarded 
as binding upon His followers ; we cannot choose for 
ourselves, by selecting some parts and leaving others. 
His example must be followed in every thing, in every 
part, to the denial of self in all things. ' He that 
will be Iny disciple must deny himself, take up his 
daily cross, and follow me,^ are the terms which He 
prescribes; we must take up a daily cross to our own 
corrupt wills and inclinations. It seldom occurs that 
the path chosen for us, or the thing required of us, 
is what we, as creatures, should choose for ourselves, 
or can very readily yield obedience to ] it is against 
the nature of flesh and blood, it does not suit our 
inclination : if it were not so, and our will was con- 
sulted, there would be no cross to take up ; it would 
be a sacrifice which cost us nothing. We must be 
willing to part with, and to sufi'er the loss of all 
things for Christ's sake ; and, in following the great 
example which He hath left us, we must in no part 
thereof deny Him before men, nor be ashamed of 
Him and His words before men, lest He should also 
deny us, and be ashamed of us, before His Father 
and the holy angels, according to His own awful 
denunciation against such unworthy followers. 

It was with me to urge the necessity of their 



244 VISIT TO 

being concerned above all tilings to know the will, 
and do the will, of our Heavenly Father, both male 
and female, for both are one in Christ, that so all 
might, by implicit obedience, know for themselves 
the will of God, to be unto them wisdom and right- 
eousness, sanctification and redemption by the blood 
of Jesus /^ 

The following letter was subsequently received : 

''Lifuha, Harlai, Octoler 17th, 1836. 

Dear Friend, 

We, as Wesleyan Methodist missionaries, labour- 
ing in the Friendly Islands, beg leave at this, our 
annual meeting, to express our sentiments to you in 
reference to your visiting the various mission-stations 
in these seas. 

We admire the principle which induced you to 
sacrifice the blessings of civilized society, and quit 
the land of your fathers, in order to witness the glo- 
rious efi^cts of the gospel among heathen nations, 
and preach among the Grentiles the unsearchable 
riches of Christ. 

We doubt not but you have been richly rewarded 
in your own mind for all the sacrifices you have 
made, and the privations you have been called to 
endure, while prosecuting the great work in which 
you are engaged. We rejoice that the Lord has so 
signally blessed you hitherto in your undertaking, 
and pray that His kind Providence may still preside 
over you, and make your way plain. 

We have been very much gratified by your visit 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 245 

to this part of the great mission field. We liail you 
as a fellow-labourer in the gospel^ and wish you God^s 
speed. 

The very great kindness which you and your ex- 
cellent son have manifested to us in a variety of 
instances, has produced a deep impression on our 
minds : be assured you will long live in our affection, 
and we hope that your addresses and conversation 
will produce their desired effect. 

And now, as you are about to take your departure 
from this place, we commend you to God, and take 
an affectionate farewell, until we shall meet in our 
Father's house above. We remain, dear friend, 
Yours, affectionately, 
John Thomas, Williaji Allen Brooks, 

John Hoffs, Stephen Raybone, 

James Watkin, John Spinney." 

Charles Tucker, 

On the 10th of the Eleventh month, 1836, they 
left the Friendly Isles, and after a passage of two 
weeks, reached the Bay of Islands, in New Zealand. 
The cause of religion appeared to be in a very dis- 
couraging state in this large and interesting island. 
A number of the tribes were at war with each other; 
and the intercourse with foreigners was fearfully de- 
structive, in a moral sense. Still, the missionaries 
had preserved some small settlements, where schools 
and congregations were gathered. At one of these 
a meeting was held, where D. Wheeler says : '' I re- 
minded the people that we were in the presence of 
Him without whose knowledge a sparrow cannot fall 
21* 



246 VISIT TO 

to the ground ; but, though heaven is His throne, 
and the earth His footstool, yet to this man will He 
look, even unto him that is poor, and of a contrite 
spirit, and who trembleth at the word of His power. 
I had then largely to testify of the love of God, as 
it is in Christ Jesus, and to turn the attention of the 
people to the light of this unspeakable Gift, which 
shineth in every heart, who, once in a body of flesh, 
spoke to man upon the earth, but now speaketh from 
heaven, by the Holy Spirit, and to all that believe in 
it, and obey it, it is the power of God unto salvation. 
The countenances of some of these dear people spoke 
louder than words, that they had fallen upon the stone 
of Israel — their brokenness could not be hid ; to such, 
the message of everlasting love flowed freely, and, I 
humbly trust, was as a shower upon the thirsty soil. 
It was an open and relieving season. It was the 
Lord^s doing, and, I believe, marvellous in the eyes 
of some present/' 

On another occasion, one of the missionaries en- 
deavouring to persuade some of the chiefs to attend, 
told them that D. Wheeler had visited the islands of 
the South Seas with the glad tidings of the gospel. 
One of the chiefs immediately asked whether the 
people of those islands had listened. The number 
who finally came was small, ^^but the love of the 
gospel flowed towards them, as numbered among 
those for whom the Saviour died, and rose again, 
that they might live. The truths of the gospel were 
sounded among them; they were invited to accept 
the terms of salvation, then proclaimed : ' Believe on 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 247 

the Lord Jesus Christ, and be saved/ They were 
directed to turn inward to the true light, ^ that light- 
eth every man that cometh into the world ; ' for this 
light is Christ, the light of the world, and the Saviour 
of the world, who, by His Holy Spirit, shineth in 
every heart. In this light they must be willing to 
believe, which would not only show them their sins, 
but if these were forsaken and repented of, would 
save them from their sins. With more words they 
were exhorted and entreated to repent, believe, and 
obey. The people were very attentive and solid : 
may the Lord soften their hearts, and incline them 
to ponder the things which they heard spoken ! '' 

A closing meeting was held with the missionaries, 
in which D. Wheeler says : " I was engaged to turn 
the minds of all present to the teaching of the Holy 
Spirit of the Lord Jesus, which would lead them 
safely along through time, and sustain them in a 
boundless eternity.'^ In a letter received from the 
missionaries before his departure, is the following : 

" One effect of your visit to New Zealand has been 
to remind us, that though ' there are differences of 
administrations, it is the same spirit' which actuates 
the whole of Christ's mystical body, ' the Church of 
the first-born, whose names are written in heaven/ 
With gratitude, also, we have to acknowledge your 
liberal bestowment of school-books, tracts, clothing 
for natives, medicines, etc. which will remain behind 
you as a memorial of your Christian kindness. 

The pleasure of our meeting together is, alas ! now 
embittered by the painfulness of separation ; but our 



248 VISIT TO 

high calling entitles us to the privilege of a friend- 
ship which is not interrupted by distance or time. 
"VYe cannot^ however^ at your advanced age, and the 
immense distance which will ere long separate be- 
tween us, but be solemnly reminded of the affecting 
words of the venerable apostle to the elders of Ephe- 
sus : ^And now I know that ye all among whom I 
have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see 
my face no more/ 

It is our earnest prayer to God for you, that, if 
consistent with His will, you may be spared to return 
to our beloved native land, and to the bosom of your 
family, to tell all your eyes have seen of ' what God 
hath wrought among the Gentiles by the ministry 
of reconciliation/ ^' 

On the 17th of First month, 1837, they left New 
Zealand, and directed their course for Sidney, in New 
South Wales. At this port they arrived on the 80th. 
They were rejoiced to meet here their dear friends 
James Backhouse and George Washington Walker, 
and to receive accounts from the beloved family at 
Shoosharry, from whom they had not heard for nearly 
two years. Still later intelligence, however, brought 
the affecting account of the death of D. Wheeler's 
eldest son, William, whose end was eminently crowned 
with peace, and an humble and confiding trust in re- 
deeming mercy. At Hobart Town, a few weeks after, 
came also an additional sorrow — the account of the 
death of his youngest daughter, but with it the con- 
solation that, through Divine mercy, her end was 
truly peaceful. 



THE PACIFIC ISLES. 249 

His anchor in these waves of affliction was on the 
rock Christ Jesus. His prayer was : " May the Lord 
Most High be graciously pleased in like manner to 
prepare us also for the heavenly kingdom.^^ 

Agreeably to arrangements made on leaving Eng- 
land, the ^ Henry Freeling^ was sold at Sidney, and 
the ship^s company discharged. After a voyage of 
twelve days, Daniel Wheeler and his son reached 
Hobart Town, where they embarked on board the 
^ Lloyd's,^ bound for London, on the 9th of Twelfth 
month, 1837, and reached that port on the 1st of 
Fifth month, 1838. 

The following are the closing extracts in his jour- 
nal : " I should not be satisfied to conclude this un- 
connected and imperfect narrative, without saying 
how greatly I have been aided in the course of this 
religious engagement by the missionaries from differ- 
ent societies in Europe and North America, who very 
kindly acted as interpreters on my behalf to the 
native congregations upon the islands where my lot 
was cast, and opened their meeting-houses for our ac- 
commodation in the most brotherly manner; to whom, 
for this assistance and Christian kindness many ways 
exhibited, we feel gratefully and highly indebted. 

I may also be allowed to add, at the same time, 
that, having been encouraged by my dear friends at 
home to accept the company of my son, Charles 
Wheeler, I have found him very useful and strength- 
ening to me, during our long sojourn in foreign 
parts, in a variety of instances, and on many im- 
portant occasions. 



250 VISIT TO THE PACIFIC ISLES. 

For the best welfare of the dear and interesting 
people who inhabit those isles afar off, which, in the 
love of the gospel, I have thus been drawn forth 
and enabled to visit, a petition, however feeble, 
must ever dwell in my heart ; and I would earnestly 
and affectionately crave the fervent aspirations of all 
my dear brethren and sisters, when it is well with 
them, on their behalf; while they unite with me in 
commemorating the mercy, loving-kindness, and faith- 
fulness of Him who, for His great name's sake, and 
for His beloved Son's sake, wrought the work ; hath 
so marvellously sustained us through every season of 
trial and conflict, and delivered us out of every dis- 
tress, that the thanksgiving of many may resound to 
His praise, to whom the kingdom, and the power, 
and the glory, belong for ever/' 



THE END 



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